


A Little too Close to Home (or so it seemed)

by Grasslands



Category: The 100 (TV), The 100 Series - Kass Morgan
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Disclaimer: I don't own The 100, F/M, Lincoln and Madi are Clarke's kids, Major effects though, Minor Character Death, Misunderstandings, Mystery kind of, Never done tags before, POV Multiple
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:15:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 26,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22013194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grasslands/pseuds/Grasslands
Summary: Bellamy Blake taught English Lit./Comp. and Ancient History. It's his first year so he sticks by his syllabus no matter what. He has to be treated seriously and with respect. He has high expectations for his students and he does not choose favorites.However, then one of his highest performing students, Lincoln Griffin, came to school without a paper that was due. It was his story that got to Bellamy. Suddenly, he wanted to learn more about this student. As he did, he became more and more concerned. It reminded him of his own childhood. So, he vowed to be there for Lincoln in a way that no one was there for him. However, he finds out that most of what he had learned were assumptions. He needs to learn the truth and discover how Lincoln and the rest of his family, his mom especially, fit into his life.New Username. Same story. Same author. New name!
Relationships: Bellamy Blake/Clarke Griffin
Comments: 52
Kudos: 269





	1. Paper, Priorities, and Prison

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this for myself and then decided more people might want to read it and enjoy it too!

“Come on, Lincoln! Please!” a ten year old Madi begged her older brother. 

“Mads, I really do have to do homework. Mr. Blake’s real strict. He doesn’t extend deadlines ever. Plus, you need to go to bed before Mom comes home,” Lincoln tried to reason with his sister. She looked at him the way she did when she wanted something from him and he couldn’t resist. He nodded and the fort building and shadow-puppet show began. Lincoln babysat Madi a lot. He doesn’t mind though. He adored his sister and his mom always made sure he had time to do school work. His mom was busy. She was a psychologist who also gave counseling to a center for troubled teens when she could and she helped Charlotte who was in prison. She also found time to cram in her art and make some money from it. She set aside Wednesday and Sunday nights for Lincoln and Madi. She also tried to keep her weekends as a whole for family time. She was always there for them when they needed her. Lincoln had never felt like she didn’t have time for him or that she didn’t know what was going on in his life. They had a close relationship and told each other everything. After all, they had saved each other.

However, it was Wednesday and he was watching Madi with no clue as to when his mom would be home. This was a rare Wednesday when she had been called into the prison. Lincoln wasn’t sure why but his mom had sounded panicked. He knew it had to do with Charlotte; it always did. Things triggered her and his mom was the only person that could really ground the girl back to reality. His mom worked so hard to help her and Lincoln did his part by making sure his sister is taken care of. So, he plays with her all the time, babysits her, and spoils her more than he knows he should. Which is why he was sitting on the floor, under a fort telling her a story with a rabbit and a wolf shadow puppet instead of sending her to bed or doing his homework. 

Finally, Lincoln was able to convince Madi to get ready for bed and to sleep. He cleaned up the fort and scattered games before getting his school books out. He started to work on homework. He had been a quarter of a way through Mr. Blake’s paper for English when his mother came through the door. She looked worse for the wear and he set his books and writing aside.

“What was it, Mom?”

“Charlotte had another episode. It took a while. She’s still struggling. Seeing me never helps, but I’m the only one willing to go in there and not restrain her. I’m the only one who knows how to calm her down,” Clarke said tiredly, sitting beside her son. 

“I think you’re the only one that can calm her down. Is she ok? Did she hurt herself or anyone?” Lincoln asked, checking his mom over.

“She got one hit in. We got officers in before she did too much damage. Don’t worry; it wasn’t too bad. She’s alright right now. I guess she’s been having nightmares again. Now, how was Madi?” Clarke asked. Lincoln sighed. He liked Charlotte; his mom made sure he did. However, she had been struggling for a little over ten years and it’s been hard. It seemed like every time she seemed to get better and there was hope, something would set it back. He left it alone, knowing that was what she wanted. He had tried to talk to her about it and it almost always ended in a lecture.

“She was great. We had a lot of fun,” Lincoln reassured her, “Mom, what’s the recovery plan for Charlotte?” Lincoln asked. He couldn't help himself, but he made sure to word it in a way that was not questioning the purpose of helping or lack of plans or real progress. It wasn’t something that his mom had addressed, but he wanted to know when she would get out. He knew his mom dreamed of the day all of her hard work would really show the day Charlotte stepped foot free. His mother went into detail about her plan and how long it would take. They began to discuss it and Lincoln’s homework was forgotten. He made sure to simply ask questions and let her talk. She listened to so many peoples problems for a living that he was sure she needed to talk hers out once in a while and not just paint. 

“We should go to bed, sweetie. It’s one and you have school and I have work,” Clarke told him. She stood and left. Lincoln panicked. His paper. He could get away with the other homework but his English paper? Mr. Blake was clear in his syllabus that he would not accept late papers or unfinished papers. He told them at the beginning of the year that they would have plenty of warning before the paper was due and that he would not waste his time grading half a paper. He said he wanted all his student's thoughts when he asked for them written fully with a beginning, ending, and a point. So, he couldn't turn in his partially written homework hoping that something was better than nothing. He couldn’t skip school either; his mom never let him. He was taught to be honest and to work through his problems. He needed his sleep too. His mom would notice if he didn’t and so would Mr. Blake from his paper if he tried to finish it in 5 sleep deprived hours or less. The man was his favorite teacher. He was new and taught Lincoln History and Lit./Comp. He looked up to the man and for the most part he believed Mr. Blake liked him too. He was an engaging teacher and his methods were all ones that Lincoln learned best from. He used a lot of art pieces especially in Ancient History, something Lincoln loved. He got his appreciation for art from his mother and his skills almost matched hers. It was not something he rarely shared though. It was not a popular thing to reveal to his high school buddies. That and it was something him and his mom did together, just the two of them. Lately he had been using Mr. Blake's History powerpoints as references for his art. The buildings and images Mr. Blake selected for class periods were beautiful and inspiring. He was sure after tomorrow though, the classes with the man would be far less enjoyable.

He sighed. There went his grade and Mr. Blake’s respect. He went to bed, tossing and turning with worry the whole night in a restless sleep.


	2. The Past Manifested in the Present (kind of)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year!

Bellamy POV

It had been a trying morning. Octavia had called telling him about some kind of boy problems and asking for money for some college trip that he couldn’t pay for. He didn’t want her going anyway. So the conversation turned into a fight and Octavia was mad at him now. It seemed like she really only called when she needed to vent or ask for something and Bellamy missed her, but he wished she’d just call to chat. The phone call took more time then he thought it was and so his his cereal got soggy. His coffee had burned and he had been having car problems and it almost wouldn’t start. He managed to make it to school on time and headed to his classroom to prepare. However, he was exhausted and just wanted the day to be over. He was not looking forward to getting a stack of papers from his English class. He wished he could give his students a break from work just to give himself a break. However, his students were capable and he had high expectations for them. So he prepared lessons, graded assignments, and dealt with over fifty angsty teenagers five days a week. His reward was paid bills and occasional calls from a just as angsty Octavia. She wasn’t far from him and if she asked he would visit her or pick her up on weekends. She didn’t though and she had friends at school with cars. He got to his classroom and began to set up. He didn’t have a PowerPoint for English so he would have to hand write key points he made. As he was preparing the whiteboard with beginning of class prompts and notes, there was a knock on the door.

“Come in,” He called, still writing. He finished and turned. It was Lincoln Griffin, one of his best students. He was also one of the few students that he had in two classes. The boy looked nervous. Although he was a new teacher, several kids had come to him about personal problems often love, but he tried to help. He didn’t understand how people so young could have so many problems. He thought he was done with it when Octavia left for college, but now it was a part of his job. Griffin seemed like a good kid. He was quiet but studious. He seemed to be shy and somewhat closed off. Based on the girls in his classes, they probably weren’t too impressed or attracted to that. So he could see the kid having problems. 

“Mr. Blake. I need to talk to you about my paper,” Griffin said hesitantly. That was not what he was expecting. Bellamy tried to be as clear as possible and repeated his important guidelines several times. Of course there would always be slackers and kids who forgot to put their names on their homework, but that wasn’t his fault. Griffin never had problems and his papers were always well constructed and thoughtful.

“Did you have issues with formatting, Mr. Griffin?” 

“No, Sir. I didn’t get to finish it,” his student said. Bellamy crossed his arms and frowned. This was not normal for the boy at all. He was one of Bellamy’s best and hardest working students.

“I don’t give extensions or accept incomplete work. You read the syllabus at the beginning of the year,” Bellamy said firmly. This was when the lame excuses about losing track of time or having a social life started. 

“Yes, Sir! I was just wondering if there would be any opportunity to do extra credit or what I’d have to do to keep my grade up. This doesn’t usually happen, I swear. It’s just, I’ve had to watch my sister every day this week. I was supposed to get last night off but my mom ended up getting called to a job,” Griffin explained. It was not what Bellamy expected. It reminded him of his own high school experience. The boy looked resigned. He was accepting the bad grade and Bellamy felt for the boy. That had happened to him before and all he wanted was a little mercy and care somewhere in his life. 

“How old is your sister?” Bellamy asked. He wanted to know more about the boy’s situation.

“She’s ten and a pain in the butt,” the teen said with a fond smile. Bellamy related to this boy so much. A mother who was never around and could never be counted on, a sister entrusted to his care when he was far too young, a love so strong that it was never really a burden, and the difficulty of balancing everything in life. 

“That’s an age for sure. One day, Mr. Griffin. You may have a one day extension. I will take thirty percent off though for being late. You may, however, do an extra credit project that I will be offering the class. It will be difficult though. Do not tell anyone about this extension and do not expect one again,” Bellamy said sternly. He could not let any sympathy show or the boy may get ideas. However, this wasn’t a procrastination problem. It went deeper than that. None of it was really the boy’s fault. He’d been dealt a crap hand. 

“Thank you so much, Mr. Blake!” Lincoln said with a look of joy and astonishment on his face. Bellamy gave him a small smile and Lincoln took his seat. He watched the boy take out a math textbook and begin working. Bellamy remembered the pain of high school. Doing homework in whatever free time he had, keeping grades up so he had a greater chance of getting out and getting a degree for a good job. He knew ‘teacher’ wasn’t what most thought of when they heard good job. However, it was more than his mother ever did. It was what he was qualified for. Someday he’d like to get his PHD and do something else more for himself, like research. One day, when he wasn’t paying for his sister’s school and what was left of his own college debt. He hoped Lincoln was working hard for college. It was his ticket out and he hoped the boy understood that and did everything he could. 

The bell rang and classes began. He had History with Lincoln after lunch and as he predicted, Lincoln’s homework was in the stack with the rest. The end of the day came and Bellamy was looking forward to going home. However, he had tutoring and knew to force himself to grade at least two papers. More people showed up to tutoring than usual, obviously trying to get in his good books before he read their paper. As he headed out of the school, he passed the library. In it, Lincoln was at a table, bent over a notebook. Bellamy went in and silently stocked over to the boy. He looked down expecting his essay. It was a sketchbook and Lincoln could draw. He could really draw. It was the boy’s outlet Bellamy assumed. It was one of several or the only thing the boy did for fun. 

“That’s really good! It looks like the Acropolis. Is it a variation?” Bellamy asked. Lincoln jumped and pivoted in his chair facing his teacher. 

“Sorry, Mr. Blake. You scared me. Yeah, it is. I’m thinking of putting a Lyceum in it. A mix of the Acropolis and the school of Athens at a different angle. I really liked the photos you showed in class today. I should probably be working on my essay, huh?’ Lincoln said guiltily. He closed the sketchbook quickly. Bellamy shook his head. Lincoln was very talented and he felt honored in someway that Lincoln used things he taught in class as inspiration for his hobby. Lincoln needed a hobby and a break. Bellamy understood that the kid couldn’t just raise a kid and constantly do schoolwork with nothing to look forward to. He used to write as a hobby when he was younger. It was an escape and an outlet. Art was Lincoln’s and he was incredible at it and must practice quite a bit. Bellamy thought it’d be something he could even study in college.

“It’s alright, Griffin. You should set time aside time for leisure. You are a very talented artist. Do you want to pursue it in college?”

“Nah. Can’t really make a living from it can you? I want to go to med school,” Lincoln admitted.

“Med School? That’s a lot of work. Why?” Bellamy asked. He was impressed. Lincoln was ambitious. Not many people at that age really knew what they wanted. Bellamy was shocked that Lincoln had already ruled out Art for something more realistic and reliable. He would most likely get farther than he did. Especially if Lincoln’s mom stayed alive...

“Well, my mom almost went to med school! Then, well, she ugh… got Madi and me,” Lincoln said with a twinge of sadness. Bellamy’s mom never outright complained about having him or O, but she would mention her hopes and dreams once in a while. He knew what it did to a kid’s self-worth and esteem. Lincoln probably tries constantly for his mother’s praise or approval. Bellamy at least got to study and do whatever he wanted. He hoped Lincoln’s mom didn’t have too much of an influence on Lincoln’s decisions, especially since she wasn't around half the time. 

“Is it what you want to do?”

“Oh, yeah! I really want to. I want to help people and I’ve visited hospitals and really liked them!” Lincoln said. Bellamy really liked Lincoln. He reminded Bellamy of himself at that age, but better.

“Do you need a ride home, Griffin?” 

“Is that allowed by the school, sir? And no. My sister does an after school program so I gotta pick her up in about ten minutes. I should probably go actually. We’re gonna try to beat my mom home and have dinner ready,” Lincoln said with a smile. Bellamy nodded. Not many teenagers were willing to take on so much responsibility and be so joyful with it. It saddened Bellamy that this was the boy’s normal. He had hoped he was the only person that had his childhood and he wouldn’t even wish it on his mortal enemy. He vowed to do something he never had. He wanted to be a mentor and male-figure in the teen’s life. 

“Surprisingly, this school is pretty lax about student-teacher relationship. The only thing not allowed are romantic relationships,” Bellamy explained. Lincoln nodded. They all knew their relaxed superintendent of schools and principle. The superintendent, Mr. Green was always at the school visiting Mr. Jordan. They made lots of jokes and made light of plenty of things. Anyone who got in trouble was bound to hear a story from Mr. Jordan about things that were way worse that he did in high school. 

“Bye, Mr. Blake! See you tomorrow,” Lincoln said standing. He turned and headed out the library doors.

“Goodbye, Mr. Griffin. Have that paper on my desk tomorrow morning,” Bellamy called out. Lincoln gave a thumbs up and a smile. Bellamy sighed and headed home. There had been a lot of hard memories that had surfaced when talking to Lincoln Griffin.


	3. An Essay and a Phone Call

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed how long Charlotte's sentence has been so far. I have been debating it for months since I started this thing, but I think I finally have it figured out!

Lincoln POV

Lincoln walked to the elementary school which was a few blocks from his school. He and his Grandpa Jaha took turns picking Madi up from her after school program. It was basically a P.E. class with games. Madi had so much energy that it made it easier on whoever was watching her for her to get some energy out. His mom picked her up almost every Friday if she didn’t have an appointment or emergency. He got to the school and saw kids running around the track. Madi saw him and waved. She was with a group of friends. She ran the rest of the circuit and then diverted from it to run up to him. She shouted goodbye to her friends and took Lincoln’s hand.

“Linc, we learned about space today! One day I bet people will live on other planets or in space. I think that would be a fun job. It’s so big and you could go so many places. Plus, the suits astronauts wear are super cool. They’ll figure it out by the time I’m a grown up, right? Can we draw when we get home? I want to draw it and show Mom,” Madi talked a mile a minute. She tried to draw or paint with Lincoln and their mom whenever they did or when she wanted to do something with them since she knew it was important to them. However, she often did not have the patience to sit still for long or the discipline to focus on small details. 

“I’m sure they will and I can’t wait to hear all about you adventures from space!” Lincoln said. Madi giggled and Lincoln grinned and chuckled with her, “Sorry, Madi. We’re gonna make spaghetti and cookies for Mom. Then after dinner, I’ve got a paper,” Lincoln bargained. His sister didn’t have a gift for art, but she was an amazing baker and she loved it. Baking kept her moving and busy and still gave room for creativity. She grinned and began to skip while holding his hand. 

They got home and went straight to the kitchen. It was one of the things they loved to do together. They worked seamlessly together; Madi baking and Lincoln cooking. Clarke wasn’t much of a cook so Lincoln learned and enjoyed it and Madi baked for them. Cooking calmed him and he liked the freedom of putting whatever he wanted into a pot or pan or tray and have it come out delicious. There was a method to it, but there was also freedom and chaos to it as well. That was the problem with baking. There was too much exactness required and more or less a set of ingredients in recipes. 

The house smelled of baking cookies and meaty sauce when their mom came home. Lincoln let Madi go to her first since he’d seen his mom the night before. He hugged his mom and told his sister to wash her hands for dinner. He and his mom set the table together. 

“How was your guys’ day?” his mom asked. Madi regaled her with stories of space and her plans. Lincoln quietly told her about his late paper and she frowned. He didn’t keep secrets from his mom, but he didn’t like her look of disappointment. He didn’t see it often and he liked it that way. 

“Lincoln, I wouldn’t have talked to you last night if I knew you had important work!” Clarke chastised. Lincoln shook his head.

“No, I wanted to talk to you. I was purposely putting my work off. I was just lucky that Mr. Blake was so lenient. He never is,” Lincoln explained. His mom slowly nodded her head and smiled.

“Mommy, where did you go yesterday?”

“I was with Charlotte. She was sad last night,” his mom explained to his little sister. Madi’s face lit up.

“You saw Charlotte last night? When are we going to go visit her? I miss her,” Madi said matter of factly. Lincoln smiled at his mom and sister in awe. Not many women would be able to get their daughter to like someone like Charlotte while also knowing what she did… His mom was amazing and his sister was just as great! 

“Soon. Maybe we can visit in a couple weeks. How’s that sound? Now let’s have dessert!” his mom said. Madi huffed but nodded. They were allowed two cookies as always even though Lincoln could have easily eaten at least five. They were warm from the oven and the chocolate melted in Lincoln’s mouth and warmed him from the inside. 

“Great cookies, Madi! I gotta go work on that essay. You guys have fun tonight!” Lincoln said kissing his mother and sister on the cheeks. 

He went upstairs and sat at his desk pulling out his books. He put in headphones and blasted focus music. He knew his mom and Madi would be loud with the games Madi planned and the books his mom read her before bed. He worked through each subject and finished his paper looking through it several times. He needed a perfect score or an almost perfect score to keep from completely failing. It was better than a zero though. Once he was satisfied with it, he went to the family office to type it and print it. By the time he was done with it, it was almost one in the morning. He would catch up on sleep on the weekend. Tomorrow was Friday.

\--

When Lincoln woke up the next morning, his mom and Madi were already gone. Madi was at Grandpa Jaha’s house so he could take her to school and his mom had early appointments so she could pick Madi up from school. He quickly packed his lunch and backpack and headed to school. He needed to hand his paper into Mr. Blake and he liked sitting in the classroom before school. It was quiet and he could draw since Mr. Blake had already seen his work. It was something he kept private. No one needed to know about it and it wasn’t like he needed to show it off for anything like his resume. However, his teacher had seen his work so it did give him more freedom and the openness to work on it whenever Mr. Blake was around. He got to school and entered his teacher’s classroom. 

“Good morning, Mr. Griffin!” Mr. Blake said with a small smile and nod to Lincoln. 

“Morning, Mr. Blake. Here’s my paper and some cookies,” Lincoln said, setting the things on the desk. There were extra cookies and Madi was bound to bake something new that weekend. Grandpa Jaha always kept things around for Madi for when she was coming over. He had more baking supplies for Madi than their mom did for her. She almost always made something when she was over and they went over every Sunday. 

“It’s still thirty percent off. I don’t accept brides, Griffin,” Mr. Blake said sternly. 

“Oh, it’s not a bribe! My sister baked them. She’s always baking,” Lincoln explained quickly. Mr. Blake smiled softly and opened the bag and took a bite. His eyes widened and Lincoln grinned.

“Yeah, she’s amazing at it! My mom and I are the artists and Madi’s the baker!” Lincoln said, grinning at his teacher’s expression.

“You come from a talented family,” Mr. Blake complimented. Lincoln thanked him and sat down with his sketchbook. About five minutes later, his phone began to ring. Lincoln loved his phone. He’d asked for it instead of a new one. He’d heard so many stories of Wells that he wanted something of the man’s. He was very careful with the phone, hoping that it would still be functional for his sister to have something her father used so much. He wanted her to have something physical of the man’s that she could carry around with her at all times. He looked at the screen and saw it was his mom. He flipped the phone open and answered.

“Hey, Mom. What’s up?”

“Hi, sweetie. I’m sorry. The center called. They need me for Atom. Could you watch Madi tonight? It would only be for a few hours. I called Grandpa Jaha and Madi is going to sleepover,” his mom said. Lincoln frowned. He hated Atom. The man was impulsive and didn’t care about consequences. He was violent. 

“Sure, do you need me to pick her up from school too”

“Yes, Theo has an appointment. He’s been getting a lot of migraines,” his mom said with worry in her voice. Lincoln’s frown deepened. He loved his grandpa. The man was stoic and a rock, but he had a soft spot for them. 

“I’ll ask him about it. Be careful, Mom. You know how much I hate Atom,” Lincoln said darkly. 

“I know you do, sweetie. They’re thinking about moving him if he doesn’t improve with me in a couple weeks. Don’t worry.”

“Good, I hope he doesn’t improve then,” Lincoln said resentfully. He could feel his mother’s scowl through the phone. He looked up and saw Mr. Blake briefly. The man had a large frown and scowl and was looking down at Lincoln’s paper. Before he could worry about his grade; he had his mother on him.

“Lincoln Wells Griffin! You do not wish that upon others! Especially these people; they need the most help. We hope they get it. I did not raise you to think or say such things. If you say anything like it again, we will have a long conversation about your beliefs.” 

“I’m sorry, Mom. Not everyone has so much hope in people like Atom like you do!” Lincoln said. He hung up the phone angrily and knew he would regret it later. 

He looked down at his half finished drawing and turned the page angrily. He started to draw the man in so many pictures. He knew the man by heart. Large, dark, soft eyes. A wide welcoming, understanding smile. Dimples on his cheeks and laugh lines around his eyes. Short hair, fairly small ears. He turned to the next page. The same man but this time with a haunted looked, a tortured look. He looked sad, but not necessarily scared. The smile gone, eyes wider. In the corner background an innocent, younger looking version of the girl he visited so much. A look of dread and regret on her face. Her looking at her hands. A look you knew would haunt her for the rest of her life. In the other corner a man. He was covered in blood with a maniacal smile and blood all over him. He looked upon Wells with a look of joy. Wells. The man who was the reason his mom did what she did and associated with people like the ones in the corners of his drawing. He suddenly didn’t hate Atom or his mother anymore-- ring ring. The bell. He looked up, expecting to see people entering the classroom. They were leaving. He’d been distracted. He almost never let that happen. Not in Mr.. Blake’s class. He groaned and went to his teacher’s desk again.

“Mr. Blake? I’m really sorry. Could I get notes?” he asked. He was really pushing his luck with the teacher. He vowed to focus and prioritize the man’s subjects from now on. Mr. Blake didn’t look angry though. He looked at Lincoln with a sad sort of look that confused him.

“I can’t give them to you but I can give you a private tutoring after school today and you can write notes then.”

“I have to pick up my sister from school right away. I can come on Monday I think though,” Lincoln asked. Grandpa Jaha picked Madi up from school on Mondays. 

“Can you do before school on Monday?” his teacher asked. His grandpa picked up on Mondays but he dropped off. 

“I drop my sister off at school Mondays.”

“Monday after school it is,” Mr. Blake said, smiling. He was officially Lincoln’s favorite teacher. He also vowed to bring Madi’s baked goods to the man on a regular basis.


	4. The Park

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry! It's been a while. I have been busy with assignments... Here's another chapter! Enjoy!!!

Bellamy's POV

After the day Bellamy had, he needed a run. The call Lincoln had been on with his mom was concerning and had reminded him of his mom. Asking him to watch O so she could be with a man. Client or not, the man was never good news. Bellamy didn’t even know Lincoln’s mom and he hated her. He couldn’t completely hate his own mother because she was his mom, but anyone like her he could. Kids should never grow up in an unsafe environment. Bellamy hoped to God that Lincoln’s mom didn’t bring this Atom around to the house.

He was running through the park when he saw Lincoln sitting on a bench. He slowed to a jog and called out to the boy. Lincoln looked and smiled. Bellamy was glad the boy liked him. 

“Mr. Blake!”

“Lincoln,” Bellamy nodded. Lincoln brightened at the man’s use of his first name outside of school. Bellamy saw Lincoln watching the playset and followed his eyes to a small girl. Yup, Bellamy was right. Different dads. It was becoming more and more like him and O. The girl had lighter skin, still quite dark though. From what he could tell from far away, the girl was small and has loose curls. She was cute. She was running across the set to a slide and slid down. She saw her brother and ran over to him with a large grin on her face. Bellamy looked over at Lincoln and could see that he had a similar smile. 

“Linc! Did you see me? Can we get ice cream later?” The girl cried out quickly while running to her brother. She didn’t seem to be stopping or slowing, but Lincoln caught her and set her on his lap. She quickly got off and pouted at him. Bellamy laughed. She was just like O had been at that age. A ball of energy who knew her brother would do anything for her. Even now Bellamy’s biggest struggle was being able to say no to O. 

“No way. Put that look away! You can use it later tonight. I saw you. Why don’t you go play for a little longer?” Lincoln said sternly. Bellamy smiled. Lincoln was a great brother and he clearly adored his sister. Madi pouted at Lincoln for a while, but she seemed to have considered what he told her and it faded into a smile. 

“Fine. Who are you?” the girl turned on Bellamy. Madi looked bright. Her eyes were wide and innocent but wary. Bellamy smiled and bent down to meet Madi at eye level.

“I’m Bellamy; nice to meet you! I’m your brother’s teacher. I tried one of your cookies. You can really bake. Do you want to be a baker when you get older?” 

“I’m Madi. I’m ten. I want to be an astronaut. Or I want to live in space. I haven’t decided yet,” Madi said matter of factly before running off back to the playground. Bellamy smiled wider. Madi reminded him of Octavia. She had a ton of energy, knew what she wanted in the moment, but seemed to change it fairly regularly, and couldn’t stay in one place for long. He wanted Octavia to meet Madi and Lincoln. 

“She changes it every week based on what she’s learning in school. Sorry about her. She has a lot of energy and they don’t have the after school P.E. program on Fridays. That’s why we’re at the park,” Lincoln said with a fond smile. Bellamy remembered Octavia going through that stage. Bellamy had worked hard to get enough money for Octavia into martial arts. Their school didn’t have after school programs. There were too many people at the school who needed one, but too little funding. Madi was lucky and so was Lincoln. It probably gave him a break and free time. 

“It’s fine. I have a younger sister. She was almost exactly like Madi at that age. She was a lot of work,” Bellamy shared. He didn’t usually talk about his family or his past, but this boy was living his own experiences. It was like talking to a mirror. Plus he remembered being Lincoln’s age and not feeling understood and feeling overwhelmed and overworked and way over his head for trying to raise a kid in high school. He wished he had someone who understood him and was in his corner so he didn’t feel so alone. 

“Really what’s her name?”

“Octavia. She’s at college right now and still plenty of work for me,” Bellamy said with a smile on his face. Lincoln grinned. He glanced at Madi again to keep track of her and then turned Bellamy to asked some questions about class. Bellamy understood. After that phone call, Lincoln had plenty of things on his mind. So, if he had needed to draw to get his mind off of things once in a while, then Bellamy wasn’t going to take it away. Lincoln not paying attention in one class wouldn’t hurt him. Bellamy could fill him in and catch him up. It was no worse than any student missing class due to sickness. Bellamy explained enough so he could complete the homework, but he saved the major things for Monday. Lincoln suddenly looked passed him and Bellamy saw a tall black man walking towards them. He didn’t look old but he was not young either.

“Grandpa! What did the doctor say?” Lincoln greeted. He hugged the man. Bellamy frowned. So they did have a man in their life. Why would Lincoln need to watch his sister so much if they could just have their grandfather watch them?

“They want to run some scans on me next week. Don’t worry. Whatever it is I’ll be fine. I’m okay with whatever news they give me,” the man said wearily. Bellamy had his answer. Their grandfather seemed almost done with his own life. Suddenly, Madi was hugging her grandfather.

“Grandpa!” Madi shouted, jumping into the man’s arms.

“Sunflower!” the man said. Madi giggled and shook her head.

“That’s Mommy’s name!” Madi said through laughs. Their mother was close to her father. They weren’t completely like Bellamy, but they were becoming an enigma. Bellamy wanted to figure out the mystery that is Lincoln’s family.

“That’s right! Though you are my sunflower too, pointing me to the sun!” the man said softly, “Lincoln, your mother told me to tell you to wait up for her. She said you won’t like if she has to wake you up. You enjoy your night, Lincoln!” their grandfather said. He and Madi left and left Bellamy with Lincoln alone.

“I’m looking forward to meeting your mother. Is she coming to parents’ night on Tuesday?” Bellamy asked. He wanted to find out more about the Griffins. He also wanted to give Miss Griffin a piece of his mind. He didn't know what he would do or how he would act when he met Lincoln's mom, but he was looking forward to meeting her more than any other student's parents. 

“Hopefully. She wants to go. She wants to meet you. She knows you’re my favorite teacher,” Lincoln said shyly. Bellamy grinned.

“Flattery will get you nowhere. I’ll see you on Monday, Lincoln.” 

“Thanks, Mr. Blake. See you Monday!” Lincoln said. He stood and jogged away, continuing his run.


	5. The Weekend

Lincoln's POV

Lincoln was laying in his bed when his mom knocked and entered. She sat on the bed and he sat up on the bed to meet her eye to eye. 

“Let’s talk about this morning.” his mother said angrily. 

“I know. I’m sorry, Mom. I know why you do it and I hope it helps them. I was just worried. It’s not always the safest job and it’s not like you’re getting paid that much for it.”

“Lincoln, I don’t do it for the money. I do it to help the kids. I know it’s not safe, but I hope I make things safer for others. Atom has a lot going on and he lashes out, but he’s been making progress and talking more.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I’m glad Atom’s getting better.”

“Yes, he’s working on communicating and thinking before he acts. I would never wish what happened to you and Madi to happen to anyone else. That’s why I do it. Now that that’s out of the way; What do you want for brunch tomorrow?” Clarke asked softly. Lincoln smiled. Grandpa Jaha would have Madi ‘til dinner. That meant Lincoln and his mom could go out to brunch and then draw and paint together for a while.

“Can we go to Kelly’s?” Lincoln asked. It was his favorite place to eat. It had great food and it was the first restaurant he had ever been to with his mother. His mom seemed to know that he would request Kelly’s and nodded. They talked for a while about Clarke’s work and Madi and Lincoln’s classes. He talked about Mr. Blake and told his mother what a great teacher he was and how excited he was for her to meet him on Parent’s Night. 

“I can’t wait to meet him. You must be tired from all of the late nights this week. Goodnight, Buddy!” His mom said, rubbing his head.

“Night, Mom. I love you!” Lincoln said.

“I love you too!” his mom whispered, turning his lights off and closing his door. 

Lincoln woke up later than usual. He had needed the sleep and he was glad his mom let him sleep in a little later than usual. He got ready for bruch and when he got to the kitchen, his mom was already laying out tarps for later. She looked up and grinned at him. 

“Morning, Linc. You ready to go?” his mom asked. He nodded and she grabbed her keys.

They had an enjoyable brunch. Lincoln got hot chocolate, something he saved for when they came here and his mother got tea. The ate a ton and talked some more. His mom always let him order as much as he wanted at Kelly’s. He would always order a large variety of breakfast foods and then split it with his mother. Lincoln talked about his small group of friends and Clarke updated him on his Aunt Raven. Aunt Raven was very busy and her schedule and his mom’s schedule did not often coincide anymore. It was nice to hear how she was doing. Lincoln used to think she was the coolest person ever. She always brought things like little robots she’d made for him and Madi and she was so funny. He’d learned a lot from her and wanted to learn more. His mom told him that she was working on opening her own shop soon. He didn’t think his mom and him would finish all the food they had ordered, but they made their way through it and had none left for Madi later. They got home and lost themselves to painting until Madi returned. They ordered pizza, made a fort, and ate pizza under the fort while watching movies. Madi fell asleep during their second movie and Lincoln carried her to her room and laid her on her bed and tucked her in. He returned and his mom had changed the tv to their favorite show to watch together. 

Lincoln loved their Saturdays. His mom almost never worked and turned down anything unless it was an absolute emergency. She made sure to set the weekend aside for them and Lincoln was very thankful. He had the best mom ever. She was always there for them and such a great role model for them. She was so strong and he did everything he could to not disappoint her. 

They finished an episode and decided to go to bed. Lincoln stayed up a little later to do some homework and fell asleep reading a chapter in his History textbook. 

Sunday was just as relaxing and they had lunch at Grandpa Jaha’s. Lincoln and Madi got to go swimming while their mom and grandpa talked. Their Grandpa’s was amazing and he spoiled them. He kept their favorite drinks and snacks stocked and Madi often had new toys that stayed at his house. He was sad though. Lincoln learned as he got older that his Grandpa had not gotten through the pain like his mom had. He tried his hardest not to be a burden on his grandpa and picked Madi up whenever he could and babysat her almost all the time unless he couldn’t. Lincoln didn’t think he and Madi were happy reminders of Grandpa Jaha’s son like they were for his mom. He knew his grandpa loved them, but he couldn’t imagine how hard it must be. 

They stayed for dinner and he and his Grandpa grilled burgers and hot dogs together. They ate lemon bars Madi had made during her sleepover for dessert. The crust was sweet and flakey and the lemon was tart and gooey and the powdered sugar on top added a little more sweetness to it. His grandpa did not have the same rules his mom had about dessert so Lincoln ate five bars. His mom had commented on his fifth bar about how he’d also had a double-patty burger and a hot dog with chips. However, his Grandpa had waved it off, saying that Lincoln was a teenager and that Wells used to eat just as much. It had taken a little while for Madi to When they got home, Madi had been sent straight to bed and Lincoln to do homework. He finished all his homework and drew a little before bed. 

\--

Monday started off well. He dropped Madi off at school and then sat in Mr. Blake’s classroom before class. Lunch with his friends had been entertaining. His friend Roan was always bringing food for dares and reactions were always amusing for the entire cafeteria. After school, he headed back to Mr. Blake’s classroom. Tutoring went well and he got all the notes he needed. 

“What are you going to do for parent’s night?” 

“I think I’ll just do what I did for the first class in both subjects. Is your mom coming?” 

“Yeah, She’s excited. She has Madi’s on Wednesday,” Lincoln told his teacher.

“That’s great! I’ll see you tomorrow, Mr. Griffin.”

“Yup. Thanks for the make up class, Sir. You didn’t have to and I really appreciate that you did,” Lincoln said. Mr. Blake smiled at him and Lincoln left. Lincoln was excited to see what his mom thought of his teachers, especially his favorite.


	6. The Meet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, life has been hectic! Anyway, onto Bellamy and Clarke meeting for the first time...

Bellamy POV

Bellamy was preparing his classroom for Parent’s night. He had a pitcher of water in the back and name tags stating where each student sat. Not every parent would come and some kids would have both parents coming so he hoped there were enough chairs. He hoped he could talk to Lincoln’s mom after about her being with her kids more and not burdening her teen with her daughter. Slowly, parents with name tags trickled in and found their child’s seat. A small, cute blonde with a round face and big eyes took Lincoln’s seat and Bellamy was in shock. She was beautiful and very young. He was expecting someone his age or slightly older, not someone who looked younger than him. She probably just looked young. She was not who he expected at all. Jaha had to be a family friend or one of her kid’s grandfather and not her father. She must have been very young when she had Lincoln which is why she was struggling with two kids now. His mom had been young with no college degree, a poor high school GPA, and no funds to get her started anywhere. It made for a bad combination. The places they lived were dumps and the places she worked barely paid for those dumps. His mom took care of housing and once in a while food. Everything else was up to Bellamy. It seemed like the Griffin’s were better off than his family ever was. Lincoln’s clothes were clean and always fit, based on his sister’s baking food didn’t seem like a problem, and the area around the school was decent and Lincoln walked. Perhaps his mom could afford to cut down her hours. 

He shook himself of his thoughts and began to introduce himself and the class. He then gave an overview of what Lit./Comp. was and why it was important. When it was over, he decided to wait until after History to talk to Miss Griffin since it would be his last class. History went much the same although he did have a PowerPoint with a few famous Latin and Greek quotes and some art. He didn’t know how to get Miss Griffin to stay, but he didn’t have to. She approached his desk when it was over. Up close, she was even prettier. She had a round face, bright blue eyes, a small nose, her hair was in an intricate braid, and she was short. However, she had bags in her eyes and a bruise on her cheek. It concerned Bellamy. Not just for her and her safety, but for her kids. He would make sure to watch Lincoln and his movements carefully tomorrow. 

“Mr. Blake, I’d like to thank you. You’re my son’s favorite teacher and it seems like you are a really good teacher.”

“Please, call me Bellamy!” Bellamy said, holding out his hand. She shook it and offered her name. Clarke. 

“Also, I’d like to thank you for Lincoln’s extension on that paper last week. It had been a hectic week. That was very generous of you.”

“Yes, I thought it only fair since he was doing your job and had no time to be a teenage student.”

“Excuse me?”

“I believe that if you are going to be a parent then you should be the parent and not anyone else, especially not another one of your kids. You shouldn’t sacrifice one child’s innocence and childhood for another’s,” Bellamy said passionately. He was projecting; he knew he was but he couldn’t stop.

“Are you telling me how to parent or that I’m a bad parent? First, I don’t see a ring on your finger and second you have no right to judge me. You don’t know me!” Clarke said, getting right into his face. She had guts. She looked angry and as short as she was it was a bit intimidating. However, Bellamy had a point to make and she needed to get it. He cared about Lincoln and wanted him to have a good, normal life. 

“I don’t see one on yours, but that didn’t stop you did it? If you’re going to have kids, you should know what you’re getting into and do your job accordingly,” Bellamy said. Slap. Clarke had slapped him in the face and then she was gone. Bellamy was in shock. He had not thought it would go the way it did. He was expecting her to agree and open up about her situation then he could help her in any way he could. He realized he’d offended her and Lincoln would most likely be angry with him and resent him. He deserved it. Looking back, he did not handle the situation well. Clarke was right, he didn’t know her. He had learned some things though. She was cute even when she was angry and she could hit. His cheek throbbed as he packed his things in a daze, thinking about how the night had failed. 

\--  
Lincoln POV

Lincoln was doing homework when the door slammed. Madi was already in bed which was way earlier than normal but a relief to Lincoln. His mom was home earlier than she said she’d be though. From the way she slammed the door, something had ticked her off. She often complained about drivers at night and Lincoln bet someone cut her off. 

“How did it--” Lincoln didn’t finish. It seemed It had clearly gone poorly. She slammed her purse on the counter and stormed back to him, sitting next to him on the couch facing him.

“What happened, Mom?”

“Mr. Blake’s a dick,” his mom said passionately.

“What? Why?” Lincoln asked surprised. Mr. Blake had been looking forward to meeting her. He couldn’t see it going poorly. 

“He criticized my parenting, told me I raised you poorly, and implied that I should have kept my legs together. With everything you said, I had really been looking forward to tonight and meeting him. He sounded like a great guy and a wonderful teacher. You never had any complaints. I can see why he’s a high school teacher. He wouldn’t be able to handle working with people his age. He was critical and rude and a jerk and judgmental and jumped to conclusions and assumed the worst and was the worst. His classes were just lectures. He never let us talk or got to know us as parents so how he had things to criticize about me and my parenting is beyond my understanding. I’m surprised he even responded when I came up to his desk. Oh wait, no I’m not. Clearly, he had plenty of ammunition at the ready. I wonder what he was going to say if I hadn’t approached him? ‘Hi, you suck as a mom and should never have had kids. What’s your name?’ This was by far the worst parents night I have ever been to including that one with Mrs. Diyoza your second grade teacher! The only good thing about the night is that now his cheek should match mine,” his mom ranted angrily. Lincoln listened quietly and grew angrier and angrier with his teacher. Mr. Blake had introduced himself well to Madi and his Grandfather. He assumed it would go well. His mom was rarely offended. She worked with people who shouted obscenities at her constantly. Yesterday she had come home from working with Cage with a bruise on her cheek. He really thought his teacher and his mom would get along. He dreaded going to school tomorrow now. 

As mad as he was at his teacher, his mom also had not handled the situation well. Anger was something that made her impulsive. She was pretty good at controlling it especially after everything that had happened to her though. She made sure that he and Madi understood the importance of thinking before acting as well. Lincoln definitely counted hitting your kid’s teacher at school as an example. He wished Mr. Blake hadn’t said what he said, they could have calmed down, or that his mom hadn’t hit his teacher. However, it had happened and now there would be consequences for everyone. He also didn’t see it being good for him. Mr. Blake would probably hate him and his family and stop being kind to him. His mom had slapped his teacher. That was definitely not good. The only silver lining was that his mom was pretty forgiving. It had to be earned, but she was pretty lenient about letting the person try to earn it. However, it really depended on whether or not Mr. Blake was forgiving and humble enough to apologize. He thought Mr. Blake and his mom could get along. He’d hoped they would and was even willing to make it happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hoped the meeting was what you'd been waiting. Just so you all know, I am struggling with the next chapter. It's going to be really rough and emotional and reveal a lot of things. However, I'm still piecing it together and trying to get the right emotions and intensity in it. So, it might be a little while until the next chapter... Thank you all for your patience!


	7. Charlotte

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was really hard to write in a lot of aspects! I hope this is a surprise! On another note, stay safe guys! This should go without saying but wash your hands. Also, school is online for me for the rest of the semester. That means I'll either have less time or more time to write. I'm not sure which yet. Also, for this chapter and any future chapter, I know a lot of this would not be aloud in real life. However, this is a modern AU which means it's my Alternative Universe of the modern world, so I consider it separate from even us.

Lincoln took notes diligently the next day in Mr. Blake’s first class. He hadn’t sat in his classroom before school like he usually did. He was quiet and took notes and kept his head down. However, his teacher still called on him and held him back after class. He hoped Mr. Blake wouldn’t demand an apology through Lincoln. Lincoln wouldn’t apologize for his mom when she didn’t really do anything wrong. He approached his teacher’s desk warily. Mr. Blake didn’t look angry though, just unsure. 

“I assume your mother told you what happened between us?” Mr. Blake said, getting straight to the point. Lincoln nodded curtly and folded his arms, “I’d like to apologize.”

“You should,” Lincoln said. Mr. Blake coughed and nodded his head.

“I should. I’d like to apologize to you as well. I was way out of line and had been hoping to make a good impression on your mother. You’re a great kid, Lincoln. She did a good job. I’m sorry.”

“I forgive you, Mr. Blake. I think you should tell my mom that when you see her next. She forgives everyone,” Lincoln said, his mind flitting to Charlotte. 

“Be that as it may, I said some pretty awful things.”

“Trust me, Mr. Blake, she forgives everyone. It may take time, but she always does. Always.  
\--  
Lincoln picked Madi up from school and listened to her talk about how excited she was for their mom to see her classroom and all her art projects. He listened quietly and nodded along as she spoke about her day. His mind was completely preoccupied with thoughts about his mom and teacher. He knew his mom would forgive Mr. Blake if she saw him again, but he knew his mom would no longer go out of her way to see the man again. 

Lincoln made Madi a snack of carrots and hummus, her favorite. He knew his mom was bringing home dinner for them tonight while she was gone. He began to work on his homework knowing that he would be playing with Madi a lot that night. His mom came home with fast food for them and Madi immediately jumped at it. They tried to limit take out to only once every two weeks and it was different every time. It was rarely American fast food and Madi loved fries. Lincoln liked them, but he let Madi get hers first before taking what was left. His mom was in her bedroom getting ready. He was finishing his fries when his mom came out ready to go. He and Madi said goodbyes through their mouthfuls of food. However, his mom got close to the door and her phone rang. She frowned and answered the phone. As soon as she said “Pike”, Lincoln’s stomach dropped. Pike was the chief of police. He only called when something happened with Charlotte. His mom needed to go to Madi’s parents' night. He stood up and went to her.

“Mom, can you put Pike on hold for a sec?” Lincoln asked. His mom obeyed, quickly telling Pike, “You’ve gotta go to Madi’s parents night. Madi’s really looking forward to it and it's really important to go to these things.”

“I know, honey, but Pike says it’s bad. I need to go and calm Charlotte down,” his mom said. Lincoln frowned. His mom was usually the only one that could calm Charlotte down. He wasn’t sure if he was enough, but he used to be and he thought it might take longer but he could. 

“I can do it. You can drop Madi off at Grandpa Jaha’s. I’ll catch a ride and I’ll call you when I need to pick me up. Go to Madi’s school and enjoy your night. Don’t worry about this. I have Pike’s number. Mads, go get ready to go to grandpa’s house,” Lincoln pleaded. Madi obeyed him and scurried off excitedly. His mom made sure he had the numbers of all the officers and admin she worked with. He could do this. It would be hard, but he could. If his mom could do it, so could he. 

“Lincoln I really don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Mom, please. I think I can do this. If anything happens, I promise I’ll call you.”

“Lincoln, you’ve never seen Charlotte like this. I really don’t think you should.” 

“Mom, please,” Lincoln pleaded. He needed to do this. He needed this. He needed to know that he could help; that he could be there for her: his mom and Charlotte. It was for Madi too. So, before his mom could respond he took the phone from her and took Pike off of hold.

“Pike, mom has to go to Madi’s parents night, but I will be there in about twenty minutes,” He said. He hung up quickly and held her phone. 

“Lincoln, that was incredibly rude and disrespectful. I don’t want you doing this.”

“Mom, I need to. I can do this. I’m old enough. I’m not a little kid anymore; I can handle the truth. I know she’s not doing well. I want to see how bad it is. Please, I think if anyone else besides you can calm her down, it’ll be me.”

“Lincoln, she gets violent.”

“I’m bigger than you, mom. If you can handle it, I’ll be fine. I’m going. I’m calling my ride. Tell Grandpa Jaha I said hi.” 

“Alright…” his mom said, resignedly, “Thank you, Lincoln. Can I have my phone back? Stay safe, baby. Call me as soon as you need a ride back home. I don’t want you outside of the prison at night. I love you!” 

Lincoln handed his mom his phone and she called for Madi who came out with a backpack ready to go. 

On the ride to prison, Lincoln prepared himself. The Charlotte he knew long ago was different from the one now. He didn’t know who or what he would see. The driver kept giving him weird looks which was understandable. He was underage, going to prison alone. He arrived and texted Pike quickly telling him he’d arrived. Pike took him to a cell. Before they entered, Pike turned to him. 

“We don’t know what happened or what triggered this. She got really quiet then violent. She usually goes from violent to shutting down. She doesn’t let anyone but your mom approach her without hitting so we leave her alone until then. She is restrained as much as allowed though. I just wanted to prepare you,” Pike said in his hard voice. Lincoln always respected the man. He was hard, never budged, but cared about every single person no matter what they did just like his mom. He appreciated the preparation. He didn’t know who he would see when he entered the door. 

It wasn’t what he’d expected. Charlotte was staring at the opposite wall not really looking at anything. She was just sitting there staring. She didn’t even seem to hear him come in or the door being opened or shut. Lincoln didn’t know what to do. He had to do something though. He has visited her with his mom before, but it was different. He pushed aside all his feelings when he did though. He separated the Charlotte she used to be, the one who tucked him into bed, scared the monsters away, and gave her meals to him because she got lunch at school and the Charlotte who looked empty and could barely look at him. It was hard to see her without separating her into two people: his sister and a girl he barely knew. It was the only way he could get through the visits. He didn’t think about it much, but he always made sure to remember the caring girl she used to be and did his best to do what she did for him for Madi. Lincoln slowly approached Charlotte and waited for a few seconds before lowering himself to the floor next to her. 

“Charlotte? Char? What happened?” Lincoln didn’t know what to say, so he just began to talk. All of a sudden it was as if she had snapped. She started to scream angrily and started to swing. Lincoln jumped up as soon as she began but not before she got his face with not just her hand, but a part of her handcuffs as well. He jumped back quickly and wiped his face. It didn’t feel too bad or deep, but there was blood. However, Charlotte’s reaction was what concerned him and was not what he expected. It snapped her out of wherever she was. She blinked a few times as if she was almost recognizing Lincoln and then burst into tears. Lincoln was having trouble with how many sides of Charlotte he was seeing in such a short time. He wished he only knew the loving girl she used to be. Their world was horrible. But in a beautifully tragic and terrible way, it was simple. It was them against everything else and they had themselves, each other and lived in a world that was strangely small. Who she was now wasn’t his sister. His sister was loving, caring, and wouldn’t hurt a fly unless they scared or hurt him. The empty Charlotte, the angry Charlotte, and the sad Charlotte he’s visited over the last ten years weren’t his Charlotte. He didn’t know where she was or if she would ever come back, not after what she did or has been through. 

He could try though. He looked at her and saw someone new. Someone who was hurting and scared and never learned how to control her feelings. He went back to her and sat across from her. She was still crying. Lincoln just sat beside her in silence, giving her time. Slowly, she lifted her head and really looked at him. Suddenly, they were Charlotte and Lincoln again and Lincoln began to cry with her. He cried for all the years he’d lost with her. He cried because he had learned how to control his feelings from the best person in the world. He cried because he got to learn it because of what his sister did. His sister killed a man and he reaped the benefits. His sister got locked away and he reaped the benefits. His mom lost her best friend and he reaped the benefits. His grandfather lost his son and he reaped the benefits. His sister lost her father and he reaped the benefits. He gained a mother, a grandfather, and a sister the day they lost Wells. Their world fell apart and his began anew. The only thing he lost was his sister and it was not something that he was really sad about. He had the life he had because a man he never met but respected so much died. Because of that, deep down he was happy and grateful for it happening and it made him a horrible person. That man was a part of his mom, his grandfather, and his sister. Madi didn’t get to be raised by her father, didn’t get to go to father daughter dance, and didn’t get to walk down the aisle with her father on her wedding day because her father was dead. All of it and Lincoln couldn’t really be sad about it. He was selfish. So, he and Charlotte cried. She cried for what she did and how it had taken over her life and he cried because of his guilt for being thankful for what she had done and what he gained.

“I’m so sorry, Lincoln,” Charlotte gasped between gasps of air. Lincoln looked at her and saw what she meant. It wasn’t just about his cut. It was everything. 

“I’m sorry too,” Lincoln said through his tears. They sat across from each other looking at each other with an understanding that had never been there before. Slowly their tears subsided and Lincoln was ready to talk. 

“Char, what happened?” Lincoln asked gently. Charlotte froze up and he could see her shutting down again. 

“A guy in the cafeteria was wearing almost the same clothing he was that day,” Charlotte said with a haunted voice. She was a million miles away. Lincoln sees it. She was back to that day, to the moment. 

“I’m sorry, Charlotte,” he didn’t know what else to say. Charlotte looked at him and past him at the same time and began to speak. 

“It was sunny, but it had rained the day before so it was muddy. It made the ground slippery, harder to run. He was wearing a short sleeve shirt. It made it easier. I thought it would help. I thought it would make things better,” Charlotte said. The story she told was both more and less than he had ever heard. Lincoln had never heard details especially not like the ones Charlotte told him. Of course, his mom never told him a lot of the graphics. 

“It didn’t make things better, Charlotte. Look at you,” Lincoln said. Charlotte just shook her head violently.

“Yes, it did. Look at you! All I wanted was for us to be separated. No one wanted an older kid, but they wouldn’t separate us. I thought if I did something… if I did something they would send you somewhere safer, better. Look at you now,” Charlotte said. Lincoln recoiled. It was his fault. What happened that day was his fault and he was rewarded. His mom had to know. Charlotte must have told her. How could she look at him? Lincoln began to tear up again, but then Charlotte stood up. 

“I’d like to go back to my cell now. I’m ready,” Charlotte said. Lincoln nodded and quickly wiped his eyes. He left and told Pike before sitting in the waiting room and calling his mom. His mom came and took one look at him and knew there was something wrong. She thanked Pike and apologized for not being able to come and she and Lincoln left. They got in the car and Lincoln began to cry quietly again. His mom saw and tear began to quietly stream down her face. Lincoln couldn't hear her through his crying, but she was whispering sorry over and over. Besides that, the car was silent except for a couple of hiccups and staggered breaths from Lincoln. They got back to the house and his mom put the car in park and turned to him. 

“I’m so sorry, Lincoln. I should have known that I shouldn’t have gone to Madi’s parents’ night. You weren’t ready to face that or deal with that. It isn’t about how old you are. I knew that and I still let you go. I’m so sorry, baby,” his mom said through her tears. 

“How could you not have told me? How could you keep this from me? Why didn’t you tell me? Wells… It was all my fault. And you didn’t tell me!” by the end Lincoln was screaming angrily.


	8. Phones

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Has it really been almost a month?! Well it's been one of the most hectic, longest, yet shortest months ever. So, I am more busy since going online. However, I broke down, overwhelmed yesterday and realized I needed to write something. So, I wrote this chapter and chapter 9 is almost done. Enjoy!

“What didn't I tell you?”

“Wells’ death. It was my fault. She killed him because of me,” Lincoln said emptily. 

“I didn’t tell you because some things are worth keeping confidentiality concerning Charlotte.”

“What? The things concerning me?”

“Lincoln, I didn’t think it was important. It was not your fault and you know it.”

“I was the reason! I was the reason she killed Wells! It was my fault,” Lincoln shouted at her. His head was spinning. He could barely think. He could barely see his mom through his tears. He wanted to be done with the conversation, done thinking about it until the morning. He just wanted to curl up on his bed and go to sleep. He was drained; it had been a horrible awful day.

“Did you ask her to do it?” His mom asked. Lincoln didn’t want his mom going into therapy mode with him at the moment. He clenched his jaw and refused to respond. However, his mom repeated herself and he knew she wouldn’t let it go. 

“No.”  
“Did you ask her to try to separate you guys?”

“No.”

“Did you give her the knife?”

“No.”

“Did you know what she was going to do that day?”

“No.”

“Then you have no guilt in the matter. Lincoln, your sister made the decision. She was desperate and she decided to hurt someone and killed them. She took the knife, she went out, and she did it. She didn’t ask you what you thought. You were just a kid,” his mom said. Lincoln broke then. He was a kid, too young and yet he had lost everyone. He got dealt a crap hand. His mom wasn’t a reward for what his sister did. They weren’t rewarded for what Charlotte did. Charlotte wasn’t the only one who was a different person after that day. His mom raised him into a completely different person than he was before or would have been if he had stayed. There were sacrifices they all lost something and someone that day. None of them were really rewarded all of it; their lives now came at a price. The price of something that was priceless, a man. All Lincoln could do now was make everyone in his life now and everyone he lost proud of him. He would make Charlotte, past and present proud of him. Then, he would hope beyond hope she would change, grow, and someday he could be proud of her too. 

“So, was Charlotte,” was all he replied.

“Yes, and she made a poor decision. What could she have done instead?”

“Asked our social worker?”

“She could have asked anyone. There are always people around when you need help. What do we always say?”

“Look for the helpers.”

“And that’s why. Even if you don’t think there are, there are. Now she knows she has people and that will make all the difference for her,” his mom said. Lincoln nodded and wiped his tears away. There were always helpers, even in the most uncommon events. Even when it seemed that no one wanted to help. His mom was proof. Even when no one wanted a clearly troubled child whose sister had murdered someone at such a young age. Everyone was afraid to help. Yet, one of the people most hurt was there. His mom was there for him and for Charlotte. And they were both better for it.   
“I’d like to go inside now and go to bed.” 

“Alright, but we need to clean and bandage that cut first. I don’t want it getting infected or you bleeding into your pillow,” his mom said. They headed inside and went to his mom’s bathroom where the first aid kit was. The mirror in the bathroom revealed how bad the cut was. It is still bleeding but with Lincoln crying he couldn’t tell the difference between the tears and the blood. He was still running on adrenaline and he couldn’t really feel it. It was deep and could leave a scar. It looked even worse because of how dark his skin was. The red contrasted with his skin and made it look far worse than it was. And when the blood dried and stopped and after it scabbed, it would look like he was still injured for a few weeks. It was in a very visible stop and it did not look like an accident. It was hard for a cut on the face to look like an accident and the shape of his looked deliberate. It was caused by handcuffs and certainly looked like a tool or weapon of some sort was used. His mom disinfected and bandaged his wound and sent him off to his bed.   
\--  
When Lincoln woke the next morning it was nine in the morning. He went to the kitchen confused and found his mom cooking eggs.

“Mom?”

“I thought we both needed a day off after yesterday. Besides missing one day won’t hurt. Will it?” his mom said. He agreed. His mom never let him skip school, but he was appreciative of it. Before he had free time, he had to do homework which he hadn’t done the day before. As he was doing his homework, his phone pinged. He flipped it open and saw it was a message from Roan who was giving him the assignments he could from the day so far. Lincoln thanked him and turned the phone in his hand. 

“Hey, mom? Do you think I could get a new phone?” Lincoln asked. He never really thought of it as his phone. It was always Well’s phone and Lincoln always planned to give it to Madi and make it hers. He didn’t feel like he should use it anymore. Madi could even use it as a starter phone of sorts. It really only could make and receive calls, even texting took a long time. He thought a new phone would be fun too. 

“Sure. Why?” 

“I never really felt like it was mine. I think Madi should have it. It will be good for her to be able to get a hold of one of us when she needs to,” Lincoln said simply. His mom nodded and stood. 

“Let’s go now. We’re both free for the day and that doesn’t happen often. It’ll be fun!” his mom said. So, they went to the mall and Lincoln got to choose a phone. He knew very little about smart phones next to what the people in his life showed him. So, he let the workers in the store talk him into one and he simply chose the color. His mom stood back letting him get what he wanted; she seemed to know why he really wanted a different phone especially since he didn’t the day before. He was talked into a case and a screen to protect his screen and when they left he felt guilty about how much he’d spent. His mom brushed him off though saying he never asked for things and that she had the money and he reluctantly accepted. The man at the store was kind enough to set it up completely for him and seemed amused at how little Lincoln knew. Lincoln got a new number so his sister could just have his phone. They got lunch in the mall along with pretzels at one of the stands, another tradition of theirs. 

Grandpa Jaha had kept Madi for another night, saying she already had everything and that he wanted to spend time with her. So, that night, his mom made popcorn and they watched a movie while Lincoln transferred his contacts to his new phone and set up a few apps he hadn’t had on his last phone like his email. It felt good to have a new phone. When he had asked for Wells’s phone he hadn’t really thought much about it. He wanted something of Wells’s. He had heard so many stories and the thought it would be cool. However, Madi was getting older and the phone wasn’t getting any newer. After visiting Charlotte, it didn’t seem right or fair to have the phone anymore. He couldn’t wait to give Madi her father’s phone when he saw her the next day.


	9. Family Tree and Chess

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! You guys get a quick update. This week is my last week of school and I was going to make you all wait til then, but I'm burnt out. So I wrote instead of doing assignments. Thank you for all the kind comments and kudos! Just a head's up I am CHANGING my USERNAME soon. So you will have the same story by the same person with a different username. Enjoy!

Bellamy’s POV

Besides his call from Octavia who was nagging him again about money from that trip she wanted to go on, his morning started well. He was setting up his classroom when Lincoln came in like he always did before school. He had missed school the day before and Bellamy had been concerned. He had wondered briefly if it was because of his encounter with the boy’s mother, but he had been at school the day before. However, as soon as he turned and saw the teen, he had a new and much worse concern. The boy had a large cut on his face and it looked like it was deep. The way it was shaped and where it was made Bellamy suspect that the cut was not an accident. His mind immediately flicked to Lincoln’s conversation with his mom ‘you know how much I hate Atom’ and ‘not everyone has so much hope in people like Atom like you do’. Those comments did not reassure him. He was trying real hard not to judge Clarke Griffin after his first meeting, but it seemed like every time he did he was Lincoln and it concerned him more and more. His mom always made sure to keep the men she was with away from his house. It was one of the few things she did remotely right. Here was Lincoln with a cut and had missed school the day before. He was a teacher and therefore a mandatory reporter. However, he didn’t have enough proof and he technically needed Lincoln to confirm his suspicions or at least have enough proof. 

“Mr. Griffin, we missed you yesterday. Were you sick?”

“Thank you, Sir. No, I just had other things going on yesterday.”

“I see. Well, the review and recall today should catch you up, but if you have any questions feel free to ask after class. Where di you get that cut? It looks pretty bad,” Bellamy said. He had tried to get the boy comfortable before broaching the subject but he was short on time before school started. Lincoln looked uncomfortable, put-off, and sad. Bellamy just hoped he would answer truthfully. 

“It was an accident. It’s nothing,” Lincoln said so earnestly. Bellamy frowned. He didn’t like the boy’s answer; however, he didn’t think Lincoln would like it if he pushed anymore so soon. 

“You did miss the extra credit assignment I announced for both my classes. It is a project that will cover both classes. I thought you would like to do it, especially after your paper. It is optional and will not be easy.”

“Is it the one you were talking about earlier? I’ll do it. I need to get my Lit./Comp. grade back up. I need to keep my GPA up.”

“Yes. So, it’s the same assignment for both classes and incorporates both. So as you know, in Ancient History, we talk a lot about ancestry and how important it was to the Greeks and Romans along with their names and the meaning of their names. So, you will be making a family tree. It needs to span at least four generations and include first, middle, and last names and birth and death dates where you can. Then you will be writing a reflection essay. The essay is fairly open-ended, but write about any important or surprising findings and such. It needs to be at least 700 words.”

“Umm, do I have to do it? I mean what if I can’t do four generations?” Lincoln asked shyly. He looked ashamed. Bellamy blanched. He realized the boy probably wouldn’t be able to do both sides of his family and that his mom may not want to give him too much information or may not even know it. He did know what to do. He had to give Lincoln the same assignment as his other students. It was unfair not to; he couldn’t show a student favoritism. He has already given Lincoln too much. 

“I can’t alter the assignment for one student. If I make alter it for one, I would have to alter everyone else’s to what they wanted. I would highly suggest completing this extra credit assignment. I don’t think you will be pleased with your grade if you don’t. I know there are certain family situations that may make it impossible to span four generations. Do as many as possible. If you cannot, try to write a longer essay and include an explanation on the lack of information. That’s the most I can change it.”

“Alright… Could I maybe show you a rough draft on Monday and then you could tell me if it’s okay? My family tree is going to be a little different and weird. At least I think. I need to talk to my mom about it,” Lincoln said. Bellamy nodded. He suspected that Madi and him being step-siblings made it complicated. His and Octavia’s family background was hard. O’s dad was barely there and Bellamy didn’t remember much of him. He knew that he was nice enough when he was around but not good enough to stay. His father was never around. However, his mom had been very young. Bellamy wondered what he would find out about all of his students. Lincoln thanked him and sat down. Instead of pulling out his sketchbook like normal; he pulled out a new phone. Bellamy frowned. This is something that he never experienced, but he knew about it. Parents feeling guilty for causing their children to get hurt and compensating with items. He was struggling to come up with an opinion of Clarke Griffin. He didn’t know what to think of her. As he was frowning at Lincoln who was typing away on his phone, the bell rang for school. He pushed his thoughts away and began the day. 

\--  
Lincoln POV

Lincoln had received a text from his mom saying she was taking Madi to the park after school, so he expected to have the house to himself to begin Mr. Blake’s extra credit. However, when he got home, Madi ran at him hugging him.

“Lincoln! I missed you. Guess what?” Madi asked excitedly. Lincoln leaned down and kissed his sister’s forehead. 

“I missed you too. What up?”

“We learned how to play chess at school and I beat everyone. I told Grandpa and he said Dad used to be really good at it. Plus, I told Mommy and she said she and Dad used to play. She’s getting their chessboard and we’re going to take it to the park. Want to come?” Madi said excitedly. Lincoln smiled at her. Lincoln didn’t know how much Madi resembled Wells, but he was sure she had inherited things from Wells without really knowing it. He bet it warmed his mom and his grandpa’s hearts. 

“Sure. I bet I can beat you,” Lincoln teased. He very much doubted it. His mom taught him to play years ago and he was not good at it. He was terrible with the strategy and looking ahead and anticipating his opponent’s moves. However, he could indulge his sister. Plus, the family tree seemed like something his mom needed to do with him. 

His mom came down with her beautiful old wooden chess set and they headed off to the park. Lincoln watched his mom and Madi play a game. They were both good and the game lasted quite a while. Madi was really good, holding her own against their mom. His mom tended to share information about Wells when he or Madi asked. She believed especially for Madi that they would ask questions they were ready to hear the answers of. Lincoln knew that his mom loved sharing bits of information about Wells to Madi and he could tell by watching the chess game that this time was no different. His mom did win the game, but his sister was a good sport and seemed to be pleased that their mom had won. Madi insisted on playing with Lincoln and he reluctantly sat down. He had already lost most of his pawns by the time Madi had lost very few pieces all very deliberate Lincoln bet. Lincon was very engrossed in the game, simply trying to keep from loosing in less than ten minutes. Madi had just taken his knight when he heard his teacher say his mother’s name. 

\--

Bellamy POV

Bellamy enjoyed running around the park, particularly at the end of the week. He had passed through the playground part of the park half expecting to see Lincoln like he did last week. He didn’t admit it to himself but he was disappointed. He had enjoyed their short chat last week and he thought Madi was adorable. He continued his run and when he got to the part of the park that had the picnic tables and gazebos, he spotted them. However, it wasn’t just the two of them. Clarke Griffin was there. She was sitting beside her daughter. Bellamy jogged closer and realized Lincoln and Madi were playing what he thought was chess. Lincoln moved a piece and Bellamy watched Clarke lift an eyebrow in amusement and Madi giggle. He approached them apprehensively. He made the decision quite impulsively, but he knew it was the right one. 

“Hello, Ms. Griffin. How are you?” Bellamy asked. He didn’t know quite how to start, but he figured small talk was safe. He needed to apologize to her and learn more about her. 

“Mr. Blake. Fine, thank you and yourself?” Clarke said civilly. He frowned. He had told her to call him Bellamy when they’d met. She had told him to call her Clarke as well, but it didn’t seem like a good idea at the moment. They both must have thought it wasn’t appropriate at the time. 

“I’m fine. Thank you. May I talk to you? I mean… would you like to go for a walk?” Bellamy asked awkwardly. He cursed himself for sounding so uncomfortable and inelegant. He was an English major! 

“Umm… Lincoln?”

“It’s fine, Mom. Go. Madi and I can play another few games,” Lincoln said waving them off.

“But, Lincoln, I don’t want to play with you anymore. You’re boring. I wanted to play Mom again,” Madi whined. Bellamy smiled at Madi who was unaware, pouting at her brother. 

“If you don’t want to play chess with me again, we can play at the playground. I’d rather do that,” Lincoln said, mumbling the end. Madi jumped up and started to run without another word, “Nice seeing you, Mr. Blake!” Lincoln gave him a pointed look before heading off towards his sister. 

Bellamy and Clarke began to walk the path that looped in a wide oval. Bellamy was at a loss for what to say. He didn’t think she would accept a simple apology. However, he was still wary of her especially after what he’d seen that morning. He made sure not to voice those opinions like he had last time. Just thinking about it made him want to touch his cheek. He would hold back and try to get to know her, at least for Lincoln’s sake. 

“I’m sorry,” Clarke said, breaking the silence. Bellamy was shocked. He did not expect her to be the one to apologize first. She hadn’t fired the first blow.   
“There’s no need. I apologized. I was out of line and shouldn’t have said the things I said.”

“It’s alright. Though, just for future reference, you shouldn’t insult the parents of your students right when you meet them. Especially what you implied.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry, really. It was incredibly rude and unfounded.”

“You’re forgiven. And I am sorry for slapping you, Mr. Blake.”

“Bellamy, and it’s alright. I deserved it. Truce?”

“Clarke and yes truce,” Clarke said, holding out her hand. He shook it firmly and noticed she had a firm grasp, unlike many women’s light shake he’d otherwise experienced. He was shocked. He didn’t expect it to be so simple. It shouldn’t have been. He was expecting to have to grovel. He was expecting to have to apologize multiple times. He almost couldn’t believe she had forgiven him. However, she’d apologized too. They walked a bit in comfortable silence and Bellamy watched Clarke glance at the playground. It was too far to really see anyone, but Bellamy suspected that mothers could see their kids from that far if they really wanted to. 

“You were right about one thing. I do struggle with balancing work and the kids sometimes. They would disagree, but I rely on Lincoln a lot. I’m lucky he’s so willing,” Clarke said.

“He’s a good kid. You got really lucky.”

“He is.”

“Why do you work so much?” the words came out before stopping them. He felt like an idiot. She had two kids. That had to be one of the dumbest questions he’d ever asked anyone ever, “I mean… ugh… is there a way for you to… ugh… work less?”, he winced. That wasn’t much better. He wouldn’t be surprised if she hit him again. However, she just laughed. 

“Probably, but I suppose I work for the same reason I have Madi and Lincoln,” Clarke said. Bellamy didn’t know what that meant. She didn’t explain anymore so he didn’t ask. He would listen to what information she gave, learn, and use it to help Lincoln. 

“How’s Lincoln feeling? Was he sick yesterday?” Bellamy asked, moving onto a new, hopefully safe topic. 

“He’s fine. I made a poor decision a couple of days ago and we both needed a day off,” Clarke said. Bellamy nodded. Technically he wasn’t allowed to condone students simply skipping school, but it was completely understandable. He remembered playing hooky once in a while when he was in school. He was glad that Clarke was aware her decision was a bad one and hope that it prevented her from bringing whoever she had brought over over again. She seemed much saner than his mom even just from this short conversation. Maybe she wasn’t so bad.

“Good. I noticed Lincoln got a new phone,” Bellamy figured her kids were probably safe topics. He didn’t know what else to discuss with her. He had been planning on apologizing throughout their entire walk and now he was grasping for straws. 

“Yes. He decided he wanted to give his old phone to Madi. It will be good for her to have something she can use to reach one of us,” Clarke said. Bellamy nodded. He wished Octavia could have had a phone sooner. It was needed when a parent worked so much and their schedule changed on a whim. It was good Clarke saw that and had the money to supply it. 

“Good. I’m sure Madi is excited.”

“She’s getting it tonight. So, Bellamy. How is my son doing in your classes?”

“Alright. His late essay definitely bumped his grade down, but the class just got an extra credit project that will bring it back up. He was a little apprehensive about it though.”

“Why? Is it difficult?”

“It might be for him. It’s a family tree and an essay about it. He hasn’t told me much, but from what he has told me it doesn’t seem like he will be able to fill out the requirements,” Bellamy explained. He looked down at Clarke and saw her close her eyes and sigh. He waited for her to respond with bated breath. He was sure she would reveal something. He wanted to learn about their family. He hadn’t thought about what his assignment would mean until Lincoln pointed it out. 

“What are the requirements?”

“Lincoln can tell you more later, but I’m requiring four generations. I know it may not be possible. The larger the tree the better.”

“The tree will be large that’s for sure. I think we’ll be able to go back four generations with my family,” Clarke said simply. Bellamy was relieved. He didn’t want it to be a difficult assignment for his students. He wanted the assignment to be an extension, something extra. He didn’t want his extra credit just to be busy work or an extra assignment. He wanted his students to explore themselves, their history, and learn something new that would stay with them for the rest of their lives. He hoped all of his students learned something.

“Good. I didn’t want this assignment to be a source of distress for anyone.”

“I’m sure. You seem like a good teacher and I can tell you care about your students. Even if you insult their parents because of it,” Clarke said, grinning teasingly at him at the end. He smiled guiltily back. They had circled back to the picnic table the Griffins had been at and Clarke began to clean the chess pieces up. Bellamy offered to help, but she waved him off. It was a wood box that held the pieces and folded out into the game board. It had a handle at the end. She had the board flipped over in order to put the pieces into the box and when she shut and lock it, Bellamy caught part of a few fading words. He could only make out a CL, &, a WE, and a faint from before Clarke had grasped the handle and the box in her hands, the writing our of his line of sight. 

They walked to the playground where Lincoln and Madi were swinging. Bellamy could hear Madi shouting about swinging higher than her brother. They saw their mother and went over to them without having to be told. Bellamy smiled and watched as they interacted. Clarke didn’t seem to be as bad of a parent as he thought. He doubted his mom ever asked his teachers about him and his work. He walked the Griffins to their car. He and Lincoln talked the short way there and he learned the boy disliked most board games particularly chess and checkers when he asked if Lincoln had let Madi win. Lincoln said checkers were too boring and chess was too hard, something Bellamy found amusing. They got to a grey Volvo and Bellamy bid them goodbye and headed to his car. He didn’t get a very good run in, but he still thought his afternoon had been a good one.


	10. Rough Draft

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! It's been too long, I know. However, the next four chapters really go together so I wrote them all together and have been working on them for a long time. So, I will most likely post these next four chapters within the month. I'll probably post once a week.

“Madi, do you want to go to Lisa’s?” Lincoln’s mom shouted through the house. Lincoln was working at math in the kitchen. His mom had wanted Madi out of the house while she helped Lincoln with his family tree. Lincoln could hear Madi running and looked up. However, when she came into view, she seemed to slow to a walk. Lincoln looks over at his mom who had her arms crossed. 

“No running in the house, Madi,” his mom said sternly. Madi made a move to argue, but his mom stopped her, “And don’t lie. I could hear it. Now, get ready and hope in the car. Liv’s mom thought you guys needed a playdate.”

“Yay!” Madi said before heading to her room, making sure to walk. She came back down holding a bag and her and Lincoln’s mom headed off. Lincoln went back to his math homework and was able to get it done along with his Biology homework before his mom got back. When she came in he immediately put the rest of his stuff away and got out a piece of paper from his large sketchbook. His mom sat across from him and watched him get out a few colored pencils. 

“How do you want to set it up, Lincoln? I know you want to do mine and Madi’s side. Do you want to do your side of the family? I would have to make a few calls to get information beyond who your birth mother was,” his mom said. Lincoln already had an idea on what he was going to include. He didn’t care much about his side of his “family” besides Charlotte.

“I want you, me, and Madi in the center. I’m going to color coat it for each family. I want to do the paternal side of the family. It’ll be easier for you and Madi. I think I’m just going to put Charlotte on my side. You’re okay with me putting Charlotte on the same family tree as Wells, right?” Lincoln hesitantly asked. He didn’t really think about it, but it could be really uncomfortable for his mom.

“I’m fine with it, sweetie. I think you should include your birth mother though,” his mom said. Lincoln nodded and began. He had an idea for a grafted tree for his final project, but at the moment he simply made a classic family tree. It was still different. He could feel his mom watching him as he wrote Clarke Elizabeth Griffin and below it Lincoln Wells Griffin and Madison Leah Jaha in grey. He drew another line from his that was facing the opposite direction as his and Madi’s and added Charlotte Fergusson in blue. He drew a line going up from between his and Charlotte's name and added Charlotte Fergusson again. Besides life the only thing his birth mother had been able to give him and his sister was their names. She had little control and next to no connection to them, but his sister had her name. 

“So, you know Madi was named after Theo’s wife. Leah, though, was Well’s favorite name. He loved that and he loved the name Cassidy, but he said Madi Cassidy sounded awful. You know most of the family tree, Lincoln.”

“I know, but I like hearing stories like that. I think that’s the point of the assignment. I mean I don’t know about who my great grandparents were. I know almost nothing about Grandma Jaha. Besides Wells and Grandpa Jaha, I know very little.”

“Sometimes I forget you’re not there when Madi begs me for stories. Her full name was Madison Marie Jaha. Madison died when Wells and I were nine. She was a wonderful woman. She hated nicknames even though Theo called her Addie. She didn’t work so she could take care of Wells. When she found out how bad the cancer was her only comment had been that she was glad she hadn’t let Wells be raised by a nanny. She practically raised me too until I was nine. She insisted I called her Madison even when I was younger. She loved the outdoors. Theo actually bought her a house by a lake and she used to take us on day trips there in the summers. There were almost no neighbors and it was only a couple hours away. Her death was a shock to all of us. It was fast, the news that she had cancer and then her death. It was hard on me and Wells, but luckily we had each other,” his mom said while Lincoln continues to write and listen intently. He drew another line up from the edge of Madi’s name next to his mom’s and wrote Wells. From that he added his Grandpa and Grandma’s names connected by interconnected rings with a pencil and shaded it all with yellow. Next to Wells’s name and his Grandma Jaha’s name he drew a cross with a black colored pencil. 

“Madi’s birth mother was named… Shasha or…” Lincoln said, stuck on it. His mom believed in respecting the women that gave birth to her children. She openly opposed the idea of hiding these kinds of truths from kids. Lincoln figured her degree in psychology played a huge part and with it she knew how to present information in a sensitive way. Some of the information, she stuck with the philosophy that they would ask when they were ready to know such as how Wells had died. She never lied to them about any of it though. Madi’s birth mom wasn’t really his business and Madi didn’t ask much about it. 

“Close. It was a girl named Shauna. She was young and scared. She wasn’t ready. Her parents were far less accepting of all of it than Theo was. Your Grandpa Jaha was probably more excited than he should have been. I ended up nailing Wells about being an irresponsible idiot once I got my head on straight and my shit together. He got yelled at a lot the night I ‘forgave’ him. He took on full responsibility of Madi though. Shauna wasn’t ready and she signed over rights the night Madi was born. I was the third person to hold Madi.”

“Was she small?”

“Tiny. Probably a good thing though. Shana was a small girl. What Madi lacked in weight and height, she made up for with her crying. I practically lived at the Jaha’s at that point and Theo had severed his friendship with Abby the minute he discovered Wells had lied for her.”

“When did your parents meet Wells’s?”

“They met in college. Apparently, my dad was friends with Madison and introduced her to Theo who had been in one of my mom’s classes. Dad and Madison had a lot in common. When she died, Wells and I had each other and Dad and Theo grieved together. That was when Dad semi-retired. He agreed with Madison’s views on raising kids and worked mostly at home and watched me,” Clarke explained. Lincoln began to draw lines up from his mom’s name and added his grandparents, connecting them with rings as well. Beside Grandpa Griffin’s name, he added another black cross. 

“Wow, I wish I could have met him. What about your guys’ grandparents and maybe great grandparents?”

“Theo’s dad was was named Abraham and his mother’s name was Anna. I believe his grandparents were named Leo and Alisha. I think Leo was a nickname but I’m not sure what for. You can ask Theo if you want. My dad’s parents were named Isaac and Sari. Dad’s family was Jewish. His grandparents were named Joseph and Esther. I met Abraham twice. Anna died when Wells was four. He was quiet. He was sad but kind. I didn’t see Grandpa Isaac and Grandma Sari much. They didn’t disown Dad for not being as devout or holy as them, but it definitely damaged their relationship. Last I heard out of all of them only Grandpa Isaac is still alive and last time I saw him was at Dad’s funeral,” Clarke said. Lincoln was learning more about his family than ever. He never really has a desire to learn about his mom’s family beyond her parents and Wells’s parents. He was not only learning their names, but who they were and he was getting an insight into their lives. He wondered what made his Grandpa Jake leave the Jewish faith. He wondered if Grandpa Jake still believed in a God. He was learning so much and he was glad Mr. Blake assigned an interesting extra credit assignment. He had been excited to learn more about Grandpa Jake and Well’s family, but he was expecting to learn that his mom’s family had been Jewish.

He finished his rough draft, adding the final black crosses beside names. He looked at his paper and felt proud. He thanked his mother and headed upstairs to draw while she worked on paperwork for her clients. His family was different. They were very unconventional but he wasn’t ashamed. In fact, he was more ready and excited than ever to share his family tree with his teacher.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be something completely different than what you've seen so far. I'm very excited to share it with you. I hope you all stay safe during these crazy times especially now.


	11. Truths and Revelations

_Almost 11 years ago_

The house was empty, void of the life it used to have. Clarke was angry. She was always angry. The sadness and anger took turns coming in waves. She hated the looks of pity and the empty apologies her teachers and classmates gave her. She hated having to sit in the same classroom as the boy who caused her father’s death. She hated being in the same building as him. Her father was gone and her best friend was gone. She was completely alone in her grief. Her mom had thrown herself into her work and Clarke rarely saw her. She had shut Finn out; she knew she had but she couldn’t help it. Her father was dead and nothing about her life was normal anymore. 

She turned her head slightly to look at the clock beside her bed. It was 4:12. The mail had probably come and she needed to get out of her bed and stop staring at the ceiling. She forced herself to her feet and slowly made her way downstairs to fetch the mail. She hoped her neighbors weren’t out to see the horrible state she was in. It was a small stack of mail. In the first two weeks of her father’s passing, they received tons of letters from old classmates and old coworkers. The last three weeks had seen a notable decline in sympathy letters. She reentered the house and began to flip through the stack. She stopped on a letter. She read and reread the address and as she did the rest of the letters from the stack fell from her hands. Abigail Griffin. PD. She wanted to deny it, but she couldn’t. She opened the letter and there was her proof. It was as if the letters DUI were big, bold, and coming out of the page. She shoved the letter into her pocket without care and raced up to her room. She threw clothes on without looking at them and grabbed the first pair of shoes she saw. 

She ran all the way to the house. She hadn’t been there in almost a month. She hadn’t talked to him for more than a month. Now, though… She needed to know why the hell he did it. Why he lied to her. Why her mother let him lie. She banged on the door frantically without stop until Theo opened the door. 

“Clarke? We haven’t seen you around in a while. How are you? Wells said you haven’t been in the mood to-”

“Sorry, Theo. Where’s Wells? Wells!” Clarke shouted behind Theo impatiently. Wells appeared and looked apprehensive. 

“Clarke?”

“We need to talk,” Clarke demanded. She grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the house and shut the door in Theo’s face. She reached into her pocket before stopping. She needed him to talk first. 

“What happened that night, Wells?” 

“I already told you Clarke. I’d rather not discuss it again.”

“What really happened, Wells? I know you lied,” Clarke said. She sighed and pulled out the letter thrusting it in his face. Wells' face fell. He knew he had been caught and wasn’t going to get out of the situation. 

“I did have champagne that night. Your father… he let me finish his glass. Your mom didn’t drink any at the table. She went to do her rounds and speak to coworkers so your dad and I stayed at the table. He ended up drinking your mom’s glass. Neither of us were drunk or even really buzzed but we had drinken. When we got to the car, your dad suggested taking a taxi. I suggested driving, but Jake pointed out that even though I had barely had any alcohol, I was still underage. Your mom, we hadn’t seen her drink that night. She looked and sounded fine. She insisted she would drive and that she just wanted to get home and get in bed. We agreed and let her,” Wells said quietly. He said no more. He didn’t want to relive the rest of that night and Clarke didn’t want to hear it. She could connect the rest of the dots on her own. 

Her mom killed her father. Her mom and her stupid pride kept her from calling for help. Her mom’s pride kept her from admitting her mistakes from her daughter. It allowed her mother to help put the blame on Wells. She didn’t care about her husband, her daughter, or Wells. All she cared about was her image and pride. She was selfish and delusional. Clarke never even saw her grieve. Clarke never saw her. She threw herself back into work. People probably thought she was trying to distract herself or she was in denial but Clarke knew better. Her mom was only working an hour or so more hours a week than normal. Life was just back to normal for Abby Griffin. She was rarely home when Clarke’s father was alive. The only difference then was that Clarke wasn’t alone so she didn’t notice it much. Her mom lied to her and let her grieve alone. 

“She let you lie for her. She… You…” Clarke was at a loss for words. 

“You just lost your dad. I didn’t want you to lose your mom too. Not in the same night,” Wells said. Clarke let out a sob and threw her arms around him, her best friend. She cried into his shoulder. She finally had someone who understood what she was going through. When Madison died, her father took over what Madison used to do. He became another father for Wells and Wells was there when he died. He more than anyone understood. 

“I already lost her. A long time ago. I don’t think I ever had her. I care more about you. Losing you is harder; it was harder. I missed you, Wells,” She whispered.

“I missed you too. Clarke, I’m so sorry about Jake. He was… He was the best man I knew. I miss him,” Wells said. There was little left to say. They didn’t need to say anything. There were enough words unspoken to last a lifetime. So, they just stood in the driveway holding each other and crying. 

They were interrupted fifteen minutes later by Theo asking if they wanted tea or coffee. They agreed and went inside. Theo asked what had happened and the truth came out. He hadn’t known his son had lied. Wells had told him that Clarke was simply too upset to talk to anyone. Clarke was shocked by this. She wasn’t mad at Theo before. In fact, she hadn’t known what to feel about him. She was glad he didn’t know. She was glad he didn’t have to chose to between telling her the truth and lying to her. Theo was the one constant she had in all of this and she needed that.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I’m sorry Abby did that to you; to both of you.”

“I don’t want to go back. I can’t go back there. I don’t want to sleep in that house anymore and I don’t want to be under the same roof as her.”

“You can stay with us as long as you need. If you want we can drive back over to your house tonight or tomorrow to return that letter to your mom and gather your stuff.”

“Yeah, come on Clarke. You’ve alway kind of been a Jaha. Plus, we’ve got your room,” Wells said. Clarke smiled the first real smile since her father died. She had her family back and everything would be ok. She and Wells used to have sleepovers. When they were really young they slept in the same bed. However, when they were six Madison said they couldn’t anymore and she did something Clarke’s mother didn’t even do. She let her design her own room. Clarke’s mom wanted Clarke’s room to look like the rest of the house. When Clarke played with toys, they had to right back where they were on the shelves after she played with them. The room was not meant to look lived in or played in. At the Jaha’s though, Wells had toy boxes and dress up boxes and they just had to throw them back in it. His sheets had planets on them and he had stars taped to his wall and ceiling. Her favorite was their refrigerator in the kitchen. It was magnetic and had their pictures all over it. So, Clarke picked out purple sheets and purple and turquoise striped walls. She wanted white curtains with pom-poms on them. Her room was fun, special, and her. Clarke liked her room at the Jaha’s more than her room at home. She taped all her drawings to her walls. Madison even let her pick out window stickers. After Madison died and as she got older, Theo helped her. Mostly he just took Clarke and Wells to the store but it was still more than her mom let her do. The only thing special at her house was that her father would tape her art to his office wall. Now that her father was gone, that would be gone too and with it the feeling of home in that house. 

“I’d like to stay here for the night. There's nothing I need right away that’s there.”

“Perfect. Let’s get Italian tonight. Do you guys want to do take out or to go out?” Jaha asked. Clarke gave a little smile, her favorite. Wells loved it too. 

“Let’s get take out. I think we should do a movie night,” Wells said.

“I’ll go call. While I’m picking up maybe you could tell Clarke your big news, Wells,” Jaha said, leaving the kitchen. Clarke turned and looked at Wells questioningly. 

“News? What news?” Clarke asked. She needed to get her mind off of her mom. Wells sighed but knew he couldn’t argue with her. She was his best friend and they told each other most everything. 

“Well, you know Shauna?” 

“McNaul?”

“Yeah her. Well… I kind of got her pregnant…” Wells said hesitantly. It was not what Clarke was expecting to hear. 

“You what? How? When?”

“I think you know how, Clarke. At least I hope you do,” Wells joked. Clarke glared at him and he had the decency to look ashamed, “I was depressed and you were mad at me. Mike hosted that party and Dad thought it would be good for me to go to get my mind off things. I went. It was loud. There were too many people. So, to get my mind off of things, I drank. I wasn’t thinking and well…”

“You. Are. An. Absolute. Idiot! Dumbass!” Clarke punctuated with a hit to Wells’s arm at each word.

“We don’t know for sure. Pregnancy tests aren’t 100% accurate. She has an appointment in a few days. I’m just glad she told me.”

“I don’t care. Just because you're sad doesn’t mean you get drunk. Why do you think we’re in this whole mess to begin with? My mother got drunk and killed my father! You get drunk and have a baby? Why would you do something so irresponsible, Wells? You’re smarter than that. Drunk too. That is the worst way… I don’t even know what to say. Oh, wait. How about you have a brain, a conscience, and reason! I mean, you had to have known you were drunk or you were getting drunk. Where did your self-control go? You never go to these things. You should have known it wouldn’t have helped anything. Man, I hate my mother!”

“What does your mother have to do with this?”

“If she hadn’t let you lie then I would have been around and wouldn’t have let you do anything like that. That does not make you off the hook. You still did it and I’m still going to be mad. Also, eww. Why would any girl want you? Especially when you were intoxicated,” Clarke said teasingly at the end. She was mad that he had done something so stupid. She was disappointed in him too. However, she just got him back and was finding it hard to stay mad. He picked a good time to tell her. 

“Hey!” Wells said, offended. He was smiling though. Clarke grinned at him. 

“It’s true. One more thing. How could you objectify Shauna like that? She’s not your tool to get your mind off of things! Was she drunk too and vulnerable? This isn’t you, Wells. You don’t use people. How could you?”

“I know. I regret all of it. I shouldn’t have even gone to the party. I wasn’t in a good state of mind and I’ve apologized to Shauna. Can we please drop it? I just want to move on from my mistake.”

“Fine. So what did Theo say, golden boy?”

“Dad didn’t say much. He told me I should have been more careful, but he’s really excited to be a grandpa.”

“You shouldn’t have just been more careful. You shouldn’t have done it in the first place, dumbass.”

“Okay, okay! I get it. I made a really big mistake. I’m aware. I regret it and I feel so bad for Shauna. She’s the one that's going to get the bulk of the backlash.”

“How’s she doing?”

“Alright. She hasn’t told her parents yet. She wanted to wait and see what I said about all of it. We’re keeping the baby of course. Well, I am. She wants to give up rights and I agreed to it. I have Dad, but her parents are going to be really against it. Plus custody would be a pain with us so young and if we go to different colleges. She doesn’t want any of this. She’s not ready. She was so scared when she told me. I can be there for our kid. I’m ready to take on the responsibility and I have the means to and she isn’t ready.”

“Wow. You’re going to be a single dad. I’m disappointed in what you did but I am proud of the way you're handling it all. I can’t believe she already wants to give up rights. What are you going to name the baby?”

“Madison for a girl and Jacob for a boy. The two best people we’ve loved and lost. And who loved us,” Wells said with a sad smile. Clarke couldn’t help but hug him. 

“I love those names.”

“So, you’re okay with me naming my kid after your father? Do you want the name?”

“He was practically your dad too, Wells. You were by his side when he died. You should take it,” Clarke said. Wells gulped and looked down. She couldn’t imagine what he saw that night. She would never know either. He would keep it from her to spare her and she loved him for it. 

“Ok,” was all he said.

“I wish I had been there. I’m sorry you went through that.”

"No. You shouldn’t have been there. It was better this way. I’m glad you went out that night.”

“Well, I wish you hadn't gone. You shouldn’t have. You didn’t need to.”

“No, but your father asked. You knew as much as I do that he hated those events.” 

“He did. So, Jake Jaha? I like it; rolls right off the tongue,” Clarke said. She knew neither of them were really ready to talk about him. They weren’t ready to remember the good times yet and it would be a while until they were ready to. 

“Yeah. I love it. I think his middle name should start with a J. What do you think, Auntie Clarke?” Wells teased. 

“I think I like Aunt Clarke better. And wow, I’m going to be an Aunt. You know the baby could be a girl.”

“I know. In fact, I think I’m more ready for a girl. I love the name Cassidy… Madison Cassidy- I hate it. I don’t care what my mom would say. I’m calling her Madi. Madison Leah. That’s better. Madi Leah.”

“Madi. I love it. Madison Leah Jaha,” Clarke said the name for the first time. She loved it. She loved both names. She couldn’t believe it. Wells was going to be a dad. His life had changed forever. Her life would change too. She was going to stay with the Jaha’s. She was going to be an aunt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that was the first flashback and one of the reasons I wrote four chapters together. In fact, this was going to be chapter 12 until I realized it didn't make sense where I had put it. Little spoiler: next week you will be introduced to Octavia!


	12. History Repeats

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, Guys! I am so sorry. I know I was supposed to update a couple weeks ago. However, this chapter was not quite finished and then I had finals, started a job, and started two more classes. Summer classes are horrible and great at the same time. I have been working on this chapter since November or December. So far, Lincoln's meeting with Charlotte and this chapter have been my favorite and my labors of love. Thank you for all the Kudos and kind comments. I was not expecting this much love and attention especially since it's an AU and not cannon. You all are so kind. One more thing. Again this is my Alternate Universe so if it's not how things work in the real world, it is how it works here. Also, I am not a psychologist, but I am an educator so A-B-Cs are real, though we tend to use them for young children with continual behavioral patterns. I think they are useful though. If you read this whole thing, thank you!

“Clarke, we have a situation and we need you. I know we only call about Charlotte, but there’s been an incident and we need you at the hospital. There has been an attempted robbery in an alley. The robber was a teen girl. She had a knife. She slashed the woman’s arm but the woman knew self-defense. Both are at the hospital. The girl has been bailed out by a family member, but we think she’ll need counseling. The other girl might as well and we don’t know if she’ll press charges. Can you come?” Pike explained to Clarke over the phone. Clarke’s heart sunk. This incident was something that had happened before with much worse consequences. Not many were as forgiving as she was and she hoped the woman would forgive the teen that robbed her. She would work with both and hope the woman didn’t press charges and that the girl could receive the help she needed. 

“I’ll be there in fifteen,” Clarke said, hanging up. Madi was at a sleepover which she was grateful for.

“Lincoln, I need to go to the hospital for work. Want to come? You can visit the staff,” Clarke shouted through the house to her son. She headed to the door and saw her son run to the door. She pursed her lips and refrained from mentioning not running through the house. 

“Sure, what happened? Is Charlotte in the hospital again?” Lincoln asked as they headed to the car. Lincoln had done an internship at the hospital so he knew most of the staff. It was one of the advantages of Theo being the old chief executive of the hospital. 

“I’ll explain on the way,” Clarke said. Lincoln did not pertain to patient confidentiality in Clarke’s mind. If she felt like he was old and strong enough to know something, she told him. This would be different. She was not going to give him all the details. She didn’t think she would even be able to say it. It was as if she were back to that terrible day though. She knew she needed to focus to drive, but she couldn’t. She tried to calm herself. Wells and Charlotte weren’t as lucky as these girls. The girls would be shaken up, but no one was dead. She shakily put the car in reverse, but before she pressed on the gas, her son’s hand was on the steering wheel.

“Mom, let me drive. Please, I know the way. Plus it will be good practice driving,” Lincoln said. Clarke said nothing, but she got out of the car and switched seats. Lincoln driving was safer for both of them. She was numb on the way over. They got to the hospital and Clarke sat in the parking lot, took three deep breaths, and counted to ten. It was time for her to switch modes. She was a psychologist. She needed to focus on the issues at hand with these people and not her own at the moment. She could deal with her own shit after. She was ready to talk to these girls and make a difference. So, Lincoln got out of the car with Clarke following and they headed to the second floor of the hospital. Lincoln split off from Clarke with a brief goodbye and headed to the staff room. Clarke headed to the desk and as she approached she could hear shouting.

“That’s my sister! Why can’t I see her? She’s hurt and she needs me! Let me in God damn it!” a familiar voice shouted. He was surrounded by Pike and a very tired looking front desk lady. Clarke approached them with a frown. 

“Sir, you need to calm down. You cannot see your sister in this state and there’s a procedure that must be followed,” the lady said almost monotonously. Clarke bet that she had already said this multiple times and that the stubborn man that Bellamy Blake seemed to be was wearing the lady down. 

“Pike!” Clarke shouted heading over. The lady looked incredibly relieved and Pike smiled just slightly. Bellamy looked shocked, embarrassed, and confused. 

“Clarke, thanks for responding so quickly. Who do you want to visit first? It’s up to you. You’re the experienced one in this situation,” Pike said grimly. 

“I’ll start with the woman who was robbed. She will most likely take less time. What rooms are they in? Amy right? If you know my son Lincoln, he’s in the staff room visiting,” Clarke said straightforward and to the point. Amy nodded and looked ready to bolt.

“The defendant is in room 233 and the victim is in room 202,” Amy said before leaving. There was one person taken care of. Pike nodded to Clarke and stepped to the side. 

“She has a name! Her name is Octavia. This isn’t like her at all. I swear.” Bellamy said, becoming more and more resigned and pleading. 

“I understand, Mr. Blake. If you could, please wait in the waiting room.”

“What’s going to happen to her? Why can’t I see her until you’re done in the other room? What are you even going to do? Who are you?”

“I’m a psychologist. I need to talk to the woman in 202 because I need to make sure she is okay mentally and see if she wants to press charges. I’ll speak to your sister and I don’t want anything you say to influence her in any way. Seeing you could make her unstable.”

“How could I make her unstable? I’m her brother!”

“I understand that, Mr. Blake, but seeing you after she did something like this could have a number of unforeseen consequences. You will be able to see her after I deem it appropriate. I may need to speak to you as well,” Clarke said sternly. Bellamy opened his mouth, but Pike stopped him with a hand.

“Sir you are taking up Miss Griffin’s time and the longer you spend arguing the longer your sister waits and the longer it is until you can see her,” Pike says. That shut Bellamy up and Clarke nodded in appreciation to Pike. She heads into room 202 bracing herself for a long conversation about forgiveness, potential future nightmares, and recovery. What she sees relieves her and she almost wants to laugh. Raven is sitting up receiving stitches in her arm by a nurse. She sees Clarke and smiles and waves at her with her other arm.

“You should see the other girl,” Raven jokes, “If my ACL wasn’t a mess, I wouldn’t have this cut, but hey she got a good hit in huh? It’s gonna make such a great first date story!”

“Only you, Raven. Alright so I do have to go through protocol even though I know most of your answers.” 

“Ask away,” Raven says. The nurse finishes and leaves the room. 

“Would you like to press charges?”

“Nah. She seemed more scared than me. Real hesitant too. Let’s get this over with. She needs you more than me.”

“What are you feeling right now?”

“Tired and annoyed. I’ll have to buy new groceries tomorrow.”

“How do you think this will affect you?”

“Well, it’s gonna cost me another hundred bucks in groceries. More if I do even more impulse shopping when I’m there.”

“Alright, well all I’m going to recommend is for you to come over for dinner a few times this week to decrease your grocery bill,” Clarke said, letting go of her professionalism just a bit. 

“Well you are the professional so I guess I have to take you up on that. I think some of Madi’s cookies will help too,” Raven said. 

“Sounds good. I’m so glad you’re ok! I’ll see you in a little while. Lincoln’s here too, if you’re able to leave. He’s in the staff room. Send him a text and he’ll come out,” Clarke said, pulling her friend into a fierce hug. Her best friends seemed to end up in this situation. She didn’t know if it was her that was cursed or what. She leaves the room as a nurse comes back into the room. She can see Bellamy fidgeting from where she is and Pike stands when he sees her and Bellamy follows.

“What’s the verdict, Miss Griffin?” Pike asked. 

“Well, turns out it was a close friend. She’s excited to have a new first date story and a cool scar. She was a little annoyed about her groceries, but we fixed it with dinner invitations for the week,” Clarke said with a smile. She saw Raven coming out of the room and waved her over. Pike smiles at her and shakes her hand.

“Nice to meet you, ma'am. Only a friend of Miss Griffin’s could react to such an ordeal as you,” Pike joked.

“Raven, nice to meet you. Well I’m off. Clarke, I’m taking Lincoln out to dinner. I’ll drop him off at your place when we’re done. See ya!” Raven said. Clarke shook her head at her friend and told her to tell Lincoln to do his homework. 

“Wait, Raven. Would you like me to reimburse you for groceries? I can if you’d like. How much was it?” Bellamy says, somewhat fumbling over his words.

“It’s good. This works out perfectly. I get dinner with my favorite people and amazing cookies,” Raven said. Lincoln came around the corner and saw them. He looked shocked to see his teacher, but he smiled and waved at him. Raven went to him and they waved a quick goodbye at Clarke and left. 

“When can I see my sister?” 

“It depends. I’ll be performing an A-B-C and then we’ll go from there. It depends on what she says and whether or not I need to speak to you as well.” Clarke responded patiently. She was sure he was worried sick for his sister.

“Why would you need to speak to me?”

“What has happened will affect you and may have been affected by you. No more questions. I need to go speak to Octavia.” Clarke said. She did not wait for any sort of response and headed to room 233. She entered and saw a girl with a black eye who looked a bit like her brother. She was handcuffed to the hospital bed and she was crying. 

“Octavia Blake? Hi, sweetie. My name is Clarke Griffin. I’m a psychologist and I’d like to speak with you.” Clarke said gently. She pulled a chair up to the bed and sat down. She pulled out her notebook and pen and got ready to write. 

“I’m not crazy. I swear. I just want to go home.” She said. However, as soon as she said it she began to cry even harder.

“I never said you were crazy. This is just protocol. You’ll be able to go home after this,” Clarke reassured. However the girl shook her head.

“No! After this, I’ll certainly be kicked out of college and so I can’t go back to my dorm. And well my brother…” Octavia got out before letting another sob escape, “He’s so disappointed he hasn’t even come to visit. He won’t let me stay with him! I have nowhere to go. What am I saying? I’m going to jail aren’t I?” and then she was hysterical. 

“Octavia, I need you to listen to me. Your brother is outside waiting. He has been here since before I got here. He has been desperate to see you. However, there are rules and you have to talk to me first. Now, you are not going to jail. Your brother has bailed you out. And the girl you robbed? Well, she’s a close friend of mine and we talked and she’s not going to press charges. We do need to talk about what happened though,” Clarke said. Octavia did not stop crying. Clarke knew she wouldn’t. Instead, she began to cry tears of relief. Clarke gave her a minute to collect herself before she began the questioning.

“Now, why did you attempt to rob someone?” 

“I wanted to go on a trip. I needed money cause my brother couldn’t give me any money for it. My friends told me I should,” Octavia said in a small voice. 

“Those don’t sound like friends. Now, is that the only reason?” Clarke said beginning her true A-B-C behavioral evaluation. 

“Well, they’re all I have at college. It’s been a really weird change. I don’t really have a major and it’s been a really hard adjustment you know? My brother? He’s always been right there and now he’s not. I can’t tell him that I don’t know what I’m doing or that I don’t really have anyone because he’s spending all this money for me to go. And well, I thought this trip would give us something to talk about you know? He said I would need to earn the money myself. My friends they told me to do it and that no one would even know. They said if I scared the person enough that they wouldn’t tell and if they did the person wouldn’t have my name. When I said no, well they said I couldn’t hang out with them if I didn’t. They’re all I have. I can’t lose the only support I have!”

“I see. So you did it. You did it so that you could go on the trip so that you would have something to talk to your brother about and so you wouldn’t lose your friends. Is that right?” Clarke asked. She had her A-B-C. 

“Yeah. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. I just… I don’t know. I wasn’t thinking and I’ve ruined everything,” Octavia said, beginning to cry again. 

“I don’t think you ruined everything. I think you made a very misguided mistake. It could have been much worse. People do things when they feel scared and hopeless. It doesn’t seem like college is the best environment if it doesn’t make you feel safe or comfortable.”

“I can’t just leave. My brother is paying a lot of money for me to go. What else will I do?” 

“Not everyone goes to college or needs to. Plus if you stop going, your brother stops paying for you to go. Octavia, if you are unhappy and not getting a degree you want and need to succeed then what is the point in going? You could go to community college for two years. It’s cheaper, you can focus on General Education classes and have time to think about what you want to do, and you can live with your brother. I went to community college.” Clarke explained to her. Octavia sniffed and nodded her head. 

“That doesn’t sound terrible.”

“Sounds a lot better than what’s happening right now doesn’t it? Now, Octavia, you can’t repeat this behavior. Anything like this. You got really lucky. My friend could have decided to press charges or you could have gotten more hurt or my friend could have gotten more hurt. What you did was wrong. I understand your reasons for doing it and I’m sorry and I don’t think it was completely your fault. You were not in a good state of mind and then you were manipulated terribly. However it is still not an excuse for your actions or decisions. You decided to go along with what your so-called friends wanted and you took a pocket knife and you approached someone, attempted to rob them, and slashed them with a blade. I want you to not only decide not to do it again, but take action to ensure that it doesn’t happen again,” Clarke lectured in her most serious and grave tone of voice.

“I’m really sorry. Could I maybe apologize to your friend sometime since you know her?” Octavia asked in a shy voice. She looked so small and lost and hopeless on the hospital bed. 

“I’m sure she would like that. I would like to check up on you in the near future. I want to make sure there have been changes and see how it affects you, alright?”

“Ok. Thank you, Clarke. Can my brother see me now?” 

“I’m going to talk to him first. How much would you let me tell him?”

“I don’t know. However much you think he should know. I guess he’ll have to know that I’m going to drop out huh?” 

“It’s not dropping out if you still go to college. You’re transferring,” Clarke joked. Octavia cracked a smile, “If you are transferring, you could apply for a new scholarship. I have a really good one that you should apply for. And I’m sure that you will get it.”

“Really? That would be great since I’d be losing my academic scholarship when I leave school,” Octavia brightened. 

“Alright, I’ll go talk to your brother and then you guys can see each other,” Clarke said. She gave a final smile to Octavia and left the room. This was the worst part: talking to worried, defensive parents or guardians. Bellamy stood as soon as he saw her. 

“Pike, I think that the handcuffs can be removed. Mr. Blake, could you come with me?” Clarke said. Pike headed to room 233 and Clarke approached the new front desk lady. She took them to an empty room and Clarke sat down and gestured for him to do the same. 

“Mr. Blake, when things like this occur police focus on what happened. My job is to get down to the why and how. I perform something called an A-B-C behavior analysis. The ‘A’ stands for antecedent. It describes the before of the behavior: what causes it and what provokes it. The ‘B’ is the behavior. The ‘C’ is the consequence. That isn’t how they are disciplined. It’s what motivates them to do the behavior or to continue the behavior. For example, a kid who cries in a store. The A is that they see a toy, the B is that they cry and throw a fit, and the C most likely is that their parents give in and they get the toy. Then there is a higher chance that everytime the baby is in the store and sees a toy he will cry, expecting that he will receive it. Octavia talked for a while and at the end of our talk she decided it could be up to my discretion as to how much I told you. So here,” Clarke said. She turned the notebook over to him and allowed him to read her quick, messy notes. There were no full sentences, but from Bellamy’s expression as he read, she could tell that he understood it. 

“It’s my fault. It’s all my fault.” Bellamy said, putting the notebook down and his head in his hands. 

“You did not choose her college. You did not choose her friends. You did not give her a knife or guide her through the act of attempted robbery. Humans have an instinctual dread of disappointing people they look up to. It’s in our nature. Your sister respects you so much that she didn’t want you to worry about her being miserable or failing at something that was supposed to be good. She didn’t understand that all you want is for her to be safe and happy,” Clarke said. She waited for his affirmation.

“Of course. That’s all I’ll ever want of her. How did I not know how unhappy she was?”

“The distance must have been hard for both of you. Communication got harder and you both held back in ways that you normally wouldn’t. It was easier for her to hide things. She talked to you when she wanted about what she wanted and you couldn’t see any nonverbal cues. She told me it was hard since it was her first time really apart from you.”

“Me and her against the world,” Bellamy said almost automatically. Clarke smiled and nodded. Those kinds of relationships were hard. When people are so close to each other that being apart like that makes them lose a part of themselves. She saw it with Lincoln and Madi, her and Wells, and Lincoln and Charlotte. Lincoln was hard that first month. All he’d wanted was his sister. It was hard and slow and now he had trouble with his feelings of wanting to see her and not wanting to see who she had become and where she was. Her son was brave though. Clarke wondered what would have happened to the man in front of her and his sister if charges had been pressed or if there had been more damage.

“That initial separation must have been hard. There’s been big changes for both of you huh? Lincoln said you were a new teacher.”

“Yes, I am. I moved to be closer to Octavia while she’s at college,” Bellamy affirmed. Clarke nodded.

“Well, the community college here is quite good,” Clarke said. She wanted to tell Bellamy and not just have him read it. She didn’t know him well, but she could see him protesting. 

“What?” Bellamy shouted at her, surprised. 

“Octavia and I talked and we both agreed that she might be happier and do better at community college.”

“What? Who are you to decide what’s best for my sister? Do you know how hard she’s worked to get to where she is? She made one mistake. I’ll talk to the board.”

“It isn’t about what she did. It’s about her not being happy at college. I’m sure she worked very hard to get in. She seems incredibly intelligent; she mentioned an academic scholarship. However, I don’t think a University environment is best for her right now. It might have been too big of a jump and not the right fit college for her. I think if she transfers over to the community college, it will give her time to adjust new classes and a new environment with your direct support. She told me she hadn’t declared her major yet. This will give her time to take Gen. Ed. classes for less money, they might be a bit easier, and in a better environment and then she’ll have time to decide what she’d like to do. I think she will be much happier and so will you,” Clarke said. Bellamy said nothing and then slowly, he nodded.

“Alright, how does it work?”

“Well, it depends. You could let her drop out and take a gap semester so she could have time to apply and start classes at the beginning of the semester. She could transfer immediately. However, that would be hard because she would have to apply, enroll, and she would be behind. The only thing I wouldn’t recommend would be her finishing her semester out before transferring. I think she needs to get out of that environment.”

“What would she do if she took the rest of the semester off? I mean I work every weekday. She’s always had school and something to do.”

“She could get a job, she’ll be busy applying, she could help you with things. I think taking a gap year or even just a semester is very important when people are going through major changes in their life. I took a gap semester and then I did a year online at the community college here.”

“Lincoln said you almost went to med school? So, you’ve done this before?”

“I was enrolled and had everything ready to go to Harvard for pre-med. Things changed and so I took a semester to adjust, apply to different colleges nearby, and figured out what I wanted to do instead.”

“Do you regret it? I just- this is a big decision.”

“It is. Let me tell you this. I was not ready for Harvard or med school or anything close to it and it wasn’t what I wanted to do. I would have been miserable if I had gone to Harvard. In fact, if I had, I probably would have dropped pre-med and majored in something stupid like Art.” 

“Art’s not stupid. I mean it traps parts of history in a visual way that books and maps can’t,” Bellamy said matter of factly. Clarke rarely heard things like this. Art was not a very respected profession. People tended to view it as a hobby, something that a person spends a lot of money on but gets little out of. In some sense, that is how Clarke viewed it. However, she also saw its merits especially as a psychologist. She didn’t view from a historians' angle though. Her art was more landscape or personal. It was rarely other people or things that depicted the way of life at the time. What Bellamy said was very true and a beautiful thought and way of looking at art and history. That thought made him a great teacher. He used multiple mediums to reach different students and he was just as passionate about the art as he was about the stories. Lincoln was lucky to have a teacher like him. 

“I agree. Art isn’t stupid. I meant the major. Plus Harvard is too expensive a school for a major that makes very little money. People can do art without a degree.”

“Oh. Yeah. So… I guess I should talk to my sister about all this huh? You made the decision before even going to Harvard right? We’ve already paid for Octavia’s semester.”

“I did decide not to go before paying any deposits, but I probably would have dropped out eventually if I had ended up attending. If you want I can talk to the admin. As a psychologist I can propose that dropping is in her best interest and necessary for her health. I’m sure there is a way to get some money back if the decision is proposed as medical.”

“My sister doesn’t have any problems,” Bellamy said so surely. The man had so much pride and it infuriated Clarke. His sister was struggling and Bellamy was in so much denial, it was like he was blind to it.

“Your sister isn’t crazy, but everyone goes through things in their life, especially when there are major changes in a short period. Octavia is going through a lot and she isn’t handling it well. She is having trouble adjusting. I haven't talked to her enough to give her any kind of diagnosis, but she needs support right now. I think she needs it from more than just you. She needs to go back to where she is comfortable and over the next few months or so, she needs to find good friends, get used to a new state, and maybe earn some money. You need to do what is best for her right now, not what you think is best for her. Talk to her and listen to her. Here’s my number, you or Octavia can call me for a follow up. I think it would be good to meet with Octavia at least once every two weeks,” Clarke said, sliding her card over to him. Bellamy simply looked at it blankly before picking it up, placing it in his pocket, and giving a small nod to Clarke. They left the room together and met back up with Pike. 

“How did it go?”

“It went well, Pike. Thanks. Alright, anything else you need?” Clarke said. As expected Pike needed her to sign a few documents while Bellamy rushed into his sister’s room. Bellamy and Octavia exited the room. Octavia was practically in his arms and she had tears running down her face again, but she was mouth was turned up in a ghost of a smile. 

“What do you say, O?” Bellamy said, kindly. 

“I’m sorry, Officer and Clarke. Thank you for talking to me,” Octavia said shyly. 

“No problem. It was nice meeting you, Octavia! I’ll talk to you guys soon alright,” Clarke said. The siblings nodded and left together. Clarke bid Pike a goodbye. She was almost zoned out driving home. It had been a long, hard day for her. All she wanted to do was get home, hold Madi, tell her stories, and cry. Octavia Blake made a huge impact in her day and she knew the girl was going to be just as important as Charlotte in her life.


	13. College

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, guys! Wow. Those two classes were awful! There were weeks I had two homework assignments, two quizzes, a practice test, a test, and an essay on top of participation! So, writing took the back burner. Sorry to say it might take the back burner again. I have to take three certification tests and I am taking two of the three over the next two months. That is on top of starting school again. Now I'm sorry this is such a short chapter, but it was never meant to be long! I'm not abandoning this story though! Thank you all for your patience and feedback!

“Hey, Clarke? Can I ask you a serious question? Like real serious,” Wells asked. He came into Clarke’s room and sat on the bed without missing a beat. 

“Don’t grow a fro, Wells. It will look terrible. We’ve talked about this already,” Clarke joked without looking up from her sketchbook. However, Wells put a hand on her book stopping her from continuing. He took the book from her and looked at her earnestly. He had her full attention and curiosity. 

“What is it, Wells?”

“Ok, so. I’ve been going to Trauma and Grief Counseling. It was Dad’s idea at first, but it’s really been helping. My dad is really mad at Abby and well… He wants to bring the issue to court. He wants her to finance it. We wanted your approval. Whatever you say we’ll go with. You know as well as I do that Dad can afford for me to go.”

“I- Only if you make sure to leave me completely out of it. I don’t want my mother to know I know at all. Normally I wouldn’t care but she thinks I just need a break from her right now. If I set her off, I’m afraid she’ll do something crazy. I have a feeling it would have to do with Dad’s Will. I don’t care about the money or any of that, but that’s the last piece of Dad’s I’ll have. Everything else is at my mother’s. Don’t tell her you got my approval. She deserves it though and she should. What she put you through…”

“You too. She’s run us through the ringer huh? You know, if you want you can join me at my next appointment. My therapist is amazing. She is awesome. She uses so many methods and tells you exactly what it should do and makes sure the ones you use work. Her job is so cool. I mean she really is saving people’s lives. Some people in there could kill themselves or do things that ruin their life, but she fixes it. She’s a brain and behavioral doctor. It’s incredible. I think I want to study Psychology in college. She has really opened my eyes and been an inspiration.”

“That’s great, Wells!”

“Yeah, and I think I’ve figured it all out. I already asked Lucy, my therapist, to write a recommendation for my college application. I’m applying to all instate schools. I’m sorry, Clarke. I know we had planned to go together or at least go to colleges close by. However, Madi will be so young and I’m going to need Dad around to help and I don’t know who I would leave her when in class if I went out of state. 

“That’s great, Wells!”

“You could come too! I mean I bet Madi would love having her Aunt Clarke around.”

“You don’t even know if she’ll like me. Plus, I can’t.”

“I know… You’re too good for Community College. You are going to kill Pre-Med then Med school!” Wells said encouragingly. Clarke wasn’t sure. WIthout Wells she wasn’t sure she’d be able to balance her school, leisure, and social life. 

“I don’t know, Wells. I’ll try and you better call me all the time.”

“I’ll call you everyday next year and I’ll hold the phone up for Madi. Don’t worry you won’t have the opportunity to miss me.”


	14. Questions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, guys! So, I passed my first test so I have been writing a ton to both celebrate and give myself a little break! I take the next on in a couple of weeks. I have also moved back to school (early) because I'm a student leader. So, I'm back at school and my social and academic life can get pretty crazy. I wanted to get this chapter out before things got more busy than ever! Thank you for waiting. I enjoy every kudo and review! Enjoy!

Bellamy POV

It was weird having Octavia back in the house. She was different. Bellamy hadn’t been expecting it. He thought he’d have his sister back. However, she was withdrawn, sad, and angry. Her stuff was still everywhere and she hadn’t really unpacked anything, despite his efforts to make her. Move out had been long and painful. Octavia hadn’t even wanted to go back to campus at all, trying to convince Bellamy to move all of her stuff out by himself. There hadn’t been much to move out. Bellamy hadn’t bought Octavia any large items so it was mostly just throwing things in boxes and putting them in the car. They hadn’t run into anyone and Octavia’s roommate left the room while Octavia packed everything up. As soon as all the boxes were in the apartment, Octavia had gone into the guest room that would be her room and had hardly come out since. At first, Bellamy was okay with it. It was a large change and she had just gone through a lot. By the time Monday came, he thought it had been the longest couple of days ever. He missed his sister and was frustrated that she wasn’t talking to him. Bellamy was actually relieved to go back to school.

He was writing on the board when Lincoln entered the classroom. He had forgotten that the boy was planning on showing him his family tree. It had been awkward seeing Lincoln at the hospital and he wondered what Clarke had told her son about all of it. 

“Good morning, Mr. Blake,” Lincoln greeted him. Bellamy was relieved that the boy was acting normal. It wasn’t every day that a person saw his teacher at the hospital with a police officer. 

“Good morning, Mr. Griffin.”

"Is everything okay?”

“Everything is fine. My sister just had some trouble.”

“I hope she’s okay. My mom was really quiet about what happened. She abides by confidentiality and all, but she tells me a lot. I was worried when she hadn’t said anything.”

“Everything will be okay. So, do you have a family tree to show me?” Bellamy asked, moving on. Lincoln silently pulled a piece of paper out of a folder and handed it to Bellamy. Bellamy sat down while Lincoln fidgeted in front of his desk. Bellamy looked down at the paper and what he saw confused and amazed him. There were three different families on the sheet. Lincoln and Madi had different last names. That fact had surprised him. He thought they’d both be Griffins. What had shocked and confused him the most was that Clarke was neither of their birth mothers and Lincoln had another sister. He never talked about her though. He talked about Madi all the time. He’d never mentioned Charlotte. Clarke must have fostered and the siblings got separated. Bellamy had always made sure to keep DCS from becoming suspicious of his and Octavia’s conditions when they were younger out of fear of being separated. 

The family tree focused on the paternal side of the family. Even though Clarke wasn’t their birth mother, he family tree was traced back the farthest between the three. Her section went back five generations. Bellamy was expecting everyone's family trees to include family members that have passed. He was expecting grandparents and great grandparents and maybe a  _ few _ parents on his students’ family trees. Lincoln's family tree was riddled with it. His family tree was large, but there were only a few surviving family members on it. It was as complicated as Lincoln said it was going to be. 

“So, is it okay?” Lincoln asked tentatively. It was great and if he used his artistic gifts, Bellamy was sure it could be the best looking and most interesting project he would receive. 

“Yes. Your family tree is very interesting. Thank you for doing this assignment. It must have been very personal.”

“Actually, it was kind of cool. I learned a ton about my family!” Lincoln said. Bellamy looked at the family tree more and realized Lincoln’s middle name was Madi’s father’s name. Lincoln’s birth mother must have known Madi’s family or Clarke knew them. He had so many questions he wanted to ask. 

“May I ask some questions? You don’t have to answer.”

“Sure. I mean I’m sure a lot of it will be in my paper about the tree,” Lincoln said, shrugging. He looked a little unsure though so Bellamy thought he would start simple and avoid asking any questions about how he and Madi ended up being Clarke’s despite his curiosity. 

“Do you still talk to your sister?”

“You mean Charlotte? Yeah. Once in a while. It’s complicated. She’s 21.”

“So, she’s older. What does she do for a living? Does she live instate?”

“She goes to school and yes,” Lincoln said. He looked uncomfortable with the line of questions so Bellamy decided to change questions. With Lincoln and Madi so close, he bet Charlotte and her brother were not as close. He wondered how Charlotte felt about all of it. Just looking at the family tree, she seemed secluded from all of it. Lincoln’s name was branched with so many people that he seemed incredibly close to and Charlotte was only connected to her brother and mother. He couldn’t imagine. It must have been hard on Charlotte and Lincoln. 

“Did you know Madi’s father?” Bellamy was curious. He wondered if Lincoln knew the man he was named after. He would have been alive when Lincoln was younger considering Madi was so young and Wells was her father. 

“No, I didn’t. Wells was great though. He and mom had been best friends since they were born.”

“That must have been hard for her,” Bellamy said. The connection between the three families still confused him. He wondered how they all knew each other. He did have more respect than ever for Clarke Griffin. He can’t imagine what that must have been like and she clearly took in her best friend’s child as her own. 

“It was, but she’s the strongest person I know. I have a question. Does the paper need a theme?”

“Every paper should have a focus. It seems like there are a lot of angles your tree can be looked at though.”

“Yeah. Thanks for taking a look at it, Mr. Blake. I should probably go brainstorm for the paper.”

“No problem, Mr. Griffin. And if you ever want to talk feel free.”

“Thanks,” Lincoln said shyly. Bellamy handed the family tree back to Lincoln and took it back to his desk quietly. There was still ten minutes before class started so Bellamy began to methodically prepare for class. Lincoln was bent over his desk writing and glancing back at what Bellamy assumed was his family tree often. He wondered what he would learn from the paper that he hadn’t learned from their talk. His mind was still reeling when the bell rang for class to begin. 


End file.
